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Effect of Exposure to Media Images on Perceptual Body
Image Distortion and Affective Dissatisfaction
Angie French & Blair TerrellHanover College
Research Question How does
exposure to these images influence how women feel about themselves and their bodies? Perceptual
distortion Social Comparison
– (comparison of self to others)
What is the perfect woman? (Nichter & Nichter,
1991) - 5’7”, 100 lbs,- long blonde hair - blue eyes
Most fashion models meet weight criteria for anorexia nervosa. (Kalodner, 1997)
Media is everywhere!
Hypothesis
Social Compariso
n
Exposure to Media Images
of the Sociocultural
Ideal
Perceptual Body Image
Distortion
Increased Affective
Body Image Dissatisfactio
n
Participants 49 female students from Hanover
College Mean age = 19 48 – Caucasian
1 – Pacific Islander
Phase 1 Two weeks prior to Phase 2 Social Comparison questionnaire
and personal information Frequency of Social Comparison Scale
(Fujita, 1996)Determines how prone an individual is to
compare herself to othersAlpha = .90
Anonymity protection—codeStreet name + last 4 digits from
SSN
Phase 2 PowerPoint slide show of 30 fitness,
fashion/beauty, or neutral images from popular magazines
Selection criteria:--Only one model per image--3/4 length body shot--no overlaid type --no product shown
(criteria from Waller, Hamilton, & Shaw, 1992)
Fitness
Fashion/Beauty
Neutral
Adjustable Light Beam Apparatus(Thompson & Spana, 1988)
Measures perceived size of cheeks, waist, and hips
Eating Disorders Inventory (Garner, Olmstead, & Polivy, 1983)
Drive for Thinness scale Body Dissatisfaction scale Alpha = .9351
Actual body size measure Perceptual distortion
= discrepancy between perceived and actual body size of cheeks, waist, and hips (Alpha = .8697)
Exposure to Media Images
of the Sociocultural
Ideal
Perceptual Body Image
Distortion
Social Compariso
n
Increased Affective
Body Image Dissatisfactio
n
ResultsDoes media exposure influence perceptual distortion?
YESPerceptual Distortion
2.7
3.9
1.9
00.5
11.5
22.5
33.5
44.5
F B N
Media Condition
Dis
crepancy
(In
ches)
Amount of distortion varied significantly across three conditions, F (1,45) = 3.24, p < .05
The only post hoc comparison that was significant was between beauty and neutral, p < .05.
Supports previous research Exposure to beauty images increases distortion
Exposure to Media Images
of the Sociocultural
Ideal
Perceptual Body Image
Distortion
Results
Social Compariso
n
Moderating variable comes into the picture
Dissatisfaction means do not vary
significantly across media conditions
Increased Affective
Body Image Dissatisfactio
n
Dissatisfaction does not correlate
with distortion
Results cont.Social Comparison
3.36 3.24 3.23
2.32
2.8
3.3
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
F B N
Media Condition
Sati
sfac
tion
Low
High Split Social
Comparison into “Low” and “High” categories.
Significant interaction found between social comparison and media condition (F (5, 42) = 2.77, p = .03).
The only significant difference between the means was found in fitness condition (t (15) = 2.4, p = .03).
Discussion Two media conditions different effects
Beauty images influence perception (distortion) Fitness images influence emotion
(dissatisfaction)
2.7
3.9
1.9
00.5
11.5
22.5
33.5
44.5
F B N
Media Condition
Dis
crep
ancy
(In
ches
)
Social Comparison
3.36 3.24 3.23
2.32
2.8
3.3
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
F B N
Media Condition
Sati
sfact
ion
Low
High
Thin Thighs, Firm Butt, Flat Abs5 super moves that tone you everywhere!
Fitness Dissatisfaction Message behind the fitness images
Idea of achievability But is it really achievable?
Exposure GUILT Dissatisfaction
Firm All Your Trouble ZonesGet lean and sculpted, melt inches
Fastest Ab and Butt TonersCardio shortcutsBlast fat in 10, 15, 20 mins.
Beauty Distortion Beauty images thinner than fitness
images Less guilt because only option of attainability
is to take drastic, unhealthy measures (e.g., drug use, eating disorder)
Average woman
beauty
fitness
Weight
Non-representative sample 48 Caucasian & 1 Pacific Islander
Homemade equipment Interrater reliability
Limitations
Questions