Gender differences in responses to thin, athletic, and hyper-muscular idealized bodies. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Watson, Ar'Reon; Murnen, Sarah K.; College, Kenyon
• Is Part Of: Body image. Volume 30(2019)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Body image -- Social comparison -- Critical processing -- Thinness -- Muscularity -- Internalization; Body image -- Periodicals; Body image -- Research -- Periodicals; Body Image -- Periodicals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.03.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-1445

Abstract

Highlights: Exposure to thin (TI), athletic (AI), and hyper-muscular (HMI) idealized bodies was examined. Women exposed to AI bodies generated the most negative social comparisons (NSC). Women exposed to TI bodies generated more counter-arguments than women in other conditions. For women exposed to TI bodies, NSC was inversely related to body appreciation and positively related to internalization. Men exposed to HMI images generated more counter-arguments than men in other conditions. Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that the ideal female body has shifted from an ultra-thin image toward one that is both thin and toned, or muscular. Furthermore, the ideal male body may be more athletic, characterized by moderate muscularity combined with leanness, than bodybuilder-muscular. Thus, we experimentally examined women's ( n = 92) and men's ( n = 106) cognitive processing style in response to idealized body types, i.e., thin images, athletic images (thin and muscular), or hyper-muscular images (moderately thin and extremely muscular). Results revealed that women in the athletic condition were the most likely to generate negative social comparisons. Women in the thin condition were more likely to generate counter-arguments compared to women in the other two conditions. Men in the hyper-muscular condition were more likely to generate counter-arguments than men in the other two conditions. Further, among women in the thin condition, negative social comparisons were inversely related to body appreciation but positively related to internalization of appearance ideals. Findings confirm that the athletic ideal likely poses problems for women's body image. Both women and men seemed to be able to "talk back" when exposed to their gendered body ideal.