Body as choice or body as compulsion: An experiential perspective on body–self relations and the boundary between normal and pathological

Abstract

There has been much talk in sociological circles of bodies as ‘projects’ or ‘choices,’ but surprisingly little examination of how these projects and choices are experienced. Consumer culture has been described as heralding a new era in body–self relations, but few have explored the experience of body–self relations. Body–self relations emerged as central to understanding in this study of the experience of the body at different ages (20–30, 45–55 and 70+ years), demonstrating the utility of empirical investigations in this area. This paper describes an orientation to the body that was common to the sample of 20 young people (aged 20–30 years) interviewed as part of this study. This orientation informed their health-related behaviours such as diet and exercise, but some participants found it to be problematic. Their voices demonstrate that bodily ‘choices’ may actually be experienced as irrational and even psychopathological compulsions. This experiential perspective suggests that normality may be continuous with pathology, and that differences are of degree rather than kind. The findings have implications for the treatment and prevention of eating disorders and obesity.