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