Thin-ideal media and women's body dissatisfaction : Prevention using downward social comparisons on non-appearance dimensions

Exposure to thin-ideal media has adverse effects on the body satisfaction of women with higher levels of body image disturbance. In a study involving 109 UCLA female undergraduates, we examined the effectiveness of an intervention that was based on downward social comparison theory and the selection...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sex roles 2007-10, Vol.57 (7-8), p.543-556
Main Authors: LEW, Ann-Marie, MANN, Traci, MYERS, Hector, TAYLOR, Shelley, BOWER, Julienne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Body Image
Body weight
College students
Control Groups
Counseling Services
Discontent
Eating Disorders
Females
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender differences
Human body
Intervention
Mass Media
Mass media effects
Mass Media Images
Medical sciences
Mental health
Prevention
Prevention. Health policy. Planification
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Researchers
Resistance (Psychology)
Satisfaction
Scientific Concepts
Self Concept
Self Evaluation (Individuals)
Self image
Sex roles
Social Comparison
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
Social psychology
Social role. Sex role
Social sciences
Theory
Undergraduate Students
Women
Writing Exercises
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Summary:Exposure to thin-ideal media has adverse effects on the body satisfaction of women with higher levels of body image disturbance. In a study involving 109 UCLA female undergraduates, we examined the effectiveness of an intervention that was based on downward social comparison theory and the selection of alternative comparison dimensions. All participants had higher levels of body dissatisfaction and viewed pictures of fashion models; the intervention group compared downward with the models on non-appearance dimensions in writing, whereas the control group described the models in writing. We hypothesized that the intervention group would experience more positive shifts in body and weight satisfaction, anxiety about appearance, and desire to lose weight than would the control group. The results supported our hypotheses. Adapted from the source document.
ISSN:0360-0025
1573-2762
DOI:10.1007/s11199-007-9274-5