The Body in Consumer Culture

Featherstone, Mike

doi:10.1177/026327648200100203

Cited by 561 publications

(380 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Different interpretations of this sanctioning behaviour is offered in the literature ranging from the idea that the appetite for food is associated with sexual appetite, rendering it sanctionable when displayed by women (Andersson, 1980), to the idea that the cultural ideal of the slim, thin body is a gendered expectation that women should retain a sexually desirable body shape, the sanctions accruing to overweight among women being consequently seen as a form of gender oppression (Charles & Kerr, 1986, 1988. More recent research has highlighted the fact that the body has been perceived by men as well as women in recent decades as a sign of the self, one which can be transformed by exercise, diet, and surgical means (Featherstone, 1991;Glassner, 1989). While this observation does not advance the explanation of why the sanctioning of food consumption is gendered, it adds a new dimension to the discussion.…”

Section: Substantive Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preferences, quantities and concerns: socio-cultural perspectives on the gendered consumption of foods

Jensen¹,

Holm²

1999

Eur J Clin Nutr

184

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A review of the sociological research regarding the gendered features of food consumption is presented. The focus is upon differences between women and men in regard to their preferences for particular foods and types of meals, seen in relation to the cultural function of foods as symbolic markers of femininity or masculinity, assessments of the quantities of food consumed by women and men respectively, and differences between women and men in regard to concerns with food safety, health, weight reduction and ®tness. Some methodological limitations of this research are discussed with particular reference to the need for interdisciplinary cooperation between sociologists and nutritionists in the design and analysis of dietary surveys. Suggestions are made in regard to future directions for sociological research in this ®eld, with particular reference to the issue that dietary recommendations appear to focus upon increasing the consumption of foods that are markers of femininity and decreasing the consumption of foods that are markers of masculinity in Western food culture. Sponsorship: This research was supported by The National Food Agency, Denmark.

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Section: Substantive Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preferences, quantities and concerns: socio-cultural perspectives on the gendered consumption of foods

Jensen¹,

Holm²

1999

Eur J Clin Nutr

184

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“…These manuals show the ideal bodily appearances. For example, in general, being slim is associated with health in consumer societies, at the same time looking young, and having a sexy body is considered as something which is valuable (Featherstone, 1982;Shilling, 1993). According to this, it is possible to say that in today's society health also evaluated on the appearance of the body.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sağlık için Tüketimin Teşvik Edilmesinde Kaynak Olarak Dergiler: “Women’s Health” ve “Men’s Health” Dergileri Üzerine Bir Karşılaştırma

Turancı

Eşiyok

2018

Galatasaray Üniversitesi İleti-Ş-Im Dergisi

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“…Sociologists (e.g., Featherstone, 1991;Shilling, 1993) talk about "the performing self", a constantly active agent that monitors the behaviour and appearance of the individual, to ensure the successful presentation of the self in social contexts. The foundation for this performing self is the need for the individual to emphasise his/her competence and positive character.…”

Section: Self-esteemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, the self-perceptions and self-esteem of the individual are closely linked to social and cultural ideals, which through early socialisation are adopted and integrated in the self-system and hence influence its function. It has been suggested, primarily in the sociology literature, that the focus on exercise and the maintenance of the body, at least from an individualistic perspective, reflects the development of modern society, culture and, more specifically, the central values and attitudes of present-day Western lifestyles (e.g., Johansson, 1998;Featherstone, 1991;Söderström, 1999;Turner, 1992). …”

Section: Motives For Exercising: a Socio-cultural Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sonstroem, 1998), individuals probably more easily compare their progress with themselves as standards when it comes to Condition, Strength, and Sport, whereas the comparison with other fit bodies on display is often inevitable (cf. Brownell, 1991;Featherstone, 1991) and creates a tougher, and constantly changing, frame of reference (also labelled "shifting goal posts phenomena"; see Fox, 2000b). Linked to the "big-fish-littlepond" effect (see Marsh, 2000), these processes may result, ironically, in individuals actually managing to get a fitter and more toned body from an exercise programme, yet perceiving themselves as worse off (and consequently score lower on the PSPP Body subscale) than when they started.…”

Section: The Physical Self Gender and Exercisementioning

confidence: 99%

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Exercising the Self: On the Role of Exercise, Gender and Culture in Physical-self Perceptions

Lindwall¹

2004

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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In modern society, individuals constantly pass judgments on their own body and physical competence as well as that of other people. All too often, the verdict is less favourable. For the person, these physical self-perceptions (PSP) may negatively affect global self-esteem, identity, and general mental well being. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine primarily the role that exercise, but also the roles that gender and culture, play in the formation of PSP. In Study I, using confirmatory factor analyses, strong support for the validity of a firstorder, and a second-order hierarchical and multidimensional model of the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP: Fox & Corbin, 1989) was found across three national samples (Great Britain, Sweden and Turkey) of university students. Cross-cultural differences were detected, with the British sample demonstrating higher latent means on all PSPP subdomains except for the physical condition subdomain (Condition), than the Swedish and Turkish samples. In Study II, a higher self-reported exercise frequency was associated with more positive PSP (in particular for Condition) and more importance attributed to PSP in Swedish university students. Males demonstrated higher overall PSPP-scores than females. In Study III, a true-experimental design with randomisation into an intervention and a control group was adopted. Strong support for the effects of an empowerment-based exercise intervention programme on PSP and social physique anxiety (SPA) over six months for adolescent girls was found. The relations of exercise, gender and culture with PSP, SPA and self-esteem are discussed from the standpoints of a variety of theoretical models (e.g., the EXSEM-model), and frameworks (self-presentation and objectification theory). The two theories of self-enhancement and skilldevelopment are examined with regard to the direction of the exercise-physical self relationship and motivation for exercise. Arguments for the relevance of exercise and PSP for practitioners in promoting general mental well-being and preventing modern-day diseases are outlined. Brown, 1998; p. 193). "It is pretty well understood now that the result of physical training is to train the nervous centres more than the muscles"(James, 1899; p. 220). AcknowledgementsThe work presented in this doctoral dissertation was supported financially by the following institutions: The Department of Psychology, Stockholm University;The Swedish National Center for Research in Sports (CIF); The School of Social and Health Sciences, Halmstad University and Stockholm University College of Physical Education and Sports.Writing a doctoral dissertation can be described as being stranded (fortunately mentally more than physically) on a deserted island for four years. In the quest for survival in the academic jungle (i.e. in the context of writing a PhD dissertation, to finish in the predetermined time of four years), the famous philosophical quotation from the poet and theologian John Donne (1573-1631):"No man is an island, entire ...

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The Body in Consumer Culture

Cited by 561 publications

References 5 publications

Preferences, quantities and concerns: socio-cultural perspectives on the gendered consumption of foods

Preferences, quantities and concerns: socio-cultural perspectives on the gendered consumption of foods

Sağlık için Tüketimin Teşvik Edilmesinde Kaynak Olarak Dergiler: “Women’s Health” ve “Men’s Health” Dergileri Üzerine Bir Karşılaştırma

Exercising the Self: On the Role of Exercise, Gender and Culture in Physical-self Perceptions

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