The time course of attentional allocation while women high and low in body dissatisfaction view self and model physiques

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine trait levels of dissatisfaction with specific bodily regions and attentional characteristics associated with those regions among women high (HBD, n = 15) and low (LBD, n = 14) in body dissatisfaction. Separate laboratory visits were completed, during, which eye movements were recorded as participants viewed slides of self-physiques or model-physiques. Comparisons of search tendencies were made across the entire 5 s of slide presentation, and then within each of the ten 500 ms epochs that comprised the 5 s viewing period. The HBD group made initial fixations to the pelvis region proportionately more than the LBD group, and avoided looking at their own bodies relative to the LBD group. They also viewed the model's legs significantly longer than the LBD group. When considering the time course of attentional allocation, the HBD group preferentially viewed areas typical of dissatisfaction during the latter viewing periods, regardless of whether they were looking at themselves or the model. Results are discussed in the context of an integrated social cognitive view with regard to the formation of a negative body schema that both results from and then perpetuates the negative affective consequences that characterize individuals who are symptomatic for eating disorders.

Selective Attention of Patients With Anorexia Nervosa While Looking at Pictures of Their Own Body and the Bodies of Others

“…Attentional biases on eating, figure, or weight-related stimuli were demonstrated by several authors with various neuropsychological tests (10,11). This confirms the study result that individuals with an eating disorder view themselves as less attractive than other women (16). When it comes to their own body, however, they focus their attention much more on the ''unattractive'' body parts (13,15).…”

“…Janelle et al (16) once more compared study participants who are highly dissatisfied with their own body with study participants who are very satisfied with their own body and studied participants' behavior when these participants are looking at pictures of their own body and pictures of a thin, attractive model. They found that highly dissatisfied study participants had a different eye movement pattern than the controls: they first fixated on the pelvis region.…”

“…Jansen et al (13), Tuschen-Caffier (15), and Blechert et al (19) use stimulus pictures that do not show the head, whereas Janelle et al (16) use stimulus pictures that do show the head. Jansen et al (13), Tuschen-Caffier (15), and Blechert et al (19) use stimulus pictures that do not show the head, whereas Janelle et al (16) use stimulus pictures that do show the head.…”

“…Jansen et al (13), Tuschen-Caffier (15), and Blechert et al (19) use stimulus pictures that do not show the head, whereas Janelle et al (16) use stimulus pictures that do show the head. There are also differences in the method of stimulus presentation: Janelle et al (16) compared eight stimulus pictures of the participants' own bodies with eight pictures of a model, and Blechert et al (19) presented the person's own picture at the same time as the picture of another person. There are also differences in the method of stimulus presentation: Janelle et al (16) compared eight stimulus pictures of the participants' own bodies with eight pictures of a model, and Blechert et al (19) presented the person's own picture at the same time as the picture of another person.…”

Fixation patterns, not clinical diagnosis, predict body size over‐estimation in eating disordered women and healthy controls

“…However, although they report differences in the fixation patterns between the women with AN and controls, there is only limited consensus on which areas are favoured or avoided 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. This may be due to methodological differences.…”