Social Representations of the Body: Theory, Facts and Commentary (Part 2)

Abstract

<p style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of the study was to identify social representations of the body in two age groups. The sample consisted of the respondents from the two generations (N= 294 people: 191 women aged 18 to 62 years and 103 men aged 18 to 60 years). The respondents had different levels of education, occupation, family status, different social practices (sport activity/absence of sport activity, presence/absence of body modifications). The main method of the study was a survey. Based on the previous stages of the study, 28 bipolar scales were formulated to assess the objects “own body”, “female body”, “male body” in two age groups of women. And 29 bipolar scales for evaluating the objects “own body”, “male body”, “female body” — in two age groups of men. The obtained results demonstrate the normative image of the body in the groups of women and men (female and male, respectively), there are no significant differences in the body representations as a matter of different social practices in relation to the body. In the group of males no differences in the representations of the body were found in the two age groups; in the group of females, differences were found only with regard to the representation of the female body.</p>