Investigation of Body Comparison Among Adolescent Girls¹

Abstract

Grade differences in appearance and nonappearance social comparisons, and targets for body comparison were examined in adolescent girls. A model describing potential contributors to, and consequences of, body comparison tendency was examined. Girls (n= 545) completed measuring social comparisons, targets for comparisons, dieting in response to comparisons, body attitudes, eating patterns, psychological variables, height, and weight. Appearance and nonappearance social comparisons increased with age. Girls reported comparing their bodies most frequently with peers and fashion models. Body comparison tendency was significantly predicted by: importance of thinness, internalization of socio‐cultural ideal, friend concern with weight, body image instability, competitiveness, grade, public self‐consciousness, perfectionism, and family concern with weight. Predictors of dieting in response to body comparison were also explored.

Social comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women's body image concerns and mood

“…Some research examining the impact of appearance comparisons to these different target groups has shown that comparisons to peers and models can lead to different outcomes in regard to women's body image concerns, perhaps because the appearance of peers is seen to be more personally attainable than the appearance of models or celebrities due to the similar resources and lifestyle that peers often have to oneself. However, the findings in the area are mixed (Carey, Donaghue, & Broderick, 2013;Leahey & Crowther, 2008;Ridolfi, Myers, Crowther, & Ciesla, 2011;Schutz, Paxton, & Wertheim, 2002), and a meta-analysis of research on appearance comparisons and body dissatisfaction found no significant difference between the effects of comparisons to peers or thinideal media images on women's body dissatisfaction (Myers & Crowther, 2009). …”

“…Similarly, we hypothesized that exposure to an online fashion magazine would lead to more negative mood, body dissatisfaction, weight and shape discrepancy, and face, hair, and skin-related discrepancy than would exposure to an appearance-neutral control website. Given that no previous research has examined the difference between exposure to Facebook vs. a magazine (online or in print), and given that previous research on comparisons to peers and models is mixed (Carey et al, 2013;Leahey & Crowther, 2008;Ridolfi et al, 2011;Schutz et al, 2002), no specific hypotheses were made regarding Facebook vs. the online fashion magazine. Finally, appearance comparison tendency was predicted to moderate the relationship between exposure to an assigned website (Facebook, online fashion magazine, control) and state negative mood, body dissatisfaction, and appearance discrepancies.…”

Peer Culture and Body Image Concern Among Australian Adolescent Girls: A Hierarchical Linear Modelling Analysis

“…Friends' concern with thinness was assessed using 12 questions adapted from Paxton and colleagues (Paxton et al 1999) and Schutz and colleagues (Schutz et al 2002; see Table 2). These items were rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater perceived peer concern.…”

Competition affects food choice in women

“…Another study showed that body comparison was positively related to restraint and a tendency to diet, among adolescent girls. 23 Similarly, among women serious dieting and disordered eating are strongly related to competitive- ness. In creating their measure of dieting-related competitiveness, Huon et al, 24 found that adolescent girls who were the most serious dieters and most dissatisfied with their bodies had the highest competitiveness scores.…”