A life history perspective on women's body surveillance

Abstract

According to life history theory, individuals who use fast life history strategies are more inclined to prioritize mating effort over parenting effort, and are more likely to focus on appearance. In the present study, we examine body surveillance in women (N = 459), using a life history perspective. Multiple indicators of life history strategy were assessed, including harshness of environment (i.e., childhood and present socioeconomic status (SES)), life history, life milestones regarding reproductive strategy (i.e., age of menarche, age of initial sexual activity, and age of first pregnancy), and mating strategy (i.e., mating and parenting effort). Results indicated that childhood SES, but not present SES, was negatively correlated with body surveillance, and life history scores were not significantly related to body surveillance. In addition, age of menarche was negatively correlated with body surveillance, but there were no significant correlations between age of initial sexual activity or age of first pregnancy and body surveillance. While mating effort was positively correlated with body surveillance, parenting effort was negatively correlated with body surveillance. All indicators of life history strategy had indirect effects on body surveillance via mating effort, parenting effort, or both. Our findings highlight the effect of development trajectories on women's body surveillance using a life history perspective.