Body Image and Sociocultural Predictors of Body Image Dissatisfaction in Croatian and Chinese Women.

Ivana Stojcic,Xiawei Dong,Xiaopeng Ren

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00731

Abstract

In the current paper, two different studies were designed to investigate body image dissatisfaction and perception of the attractive female body in Chinese and Croatian women and men using the correlational and experimental study research approach. Study 1 comprised 266 Chinese (160 women; 106 men) and 261 Croatian participants (161 women; 100 men). Women from both countries were asked to complete the measures of the Contour Rating Scale, SATAQ – 4, Body Area Scale and demographic data, while men were asked to complete the measures of the Contour Rating Scale and demographic data via online surveys. The obtained results indicated that thin internalization predicted body image dissatisfaction in both samples. Besides, while both samples scored relatively high on thin-ideal internalization, Chinese women, who were also in general less satisfied with their body image, had higher scores. Chinese women also scored higher on musculature internalization and felt more pressure from family, friends, and media to conform to standard beauty norms compared to Croatian women. The samples also differed in their perceptions of preferable body size, where Chinese women had a more negative perception of their actual body size. The obtained results furthermore revealed that Chinese men preferred thinner women compared to Croatian men. Moreover, both samples misjudged what their female counterparts found attractive, thinking that women wanted to have even thinner bodies than they actually reported. Similarly, women from both cultures revealed a preference for thinner figures than the ones selected as the most attractive by the opposite sex. Finally, in Study 2, experimental manipulation of thin-ideal was used to examine whether thin priming affected body image dissatisfaction. The obtained results revealed that when primed with thin-ideal women from both countries felt lower satisfaction with their body size. The observed effect was stronger for Chinese participants. Limitations of the current study are discussed in the conclusion.

Highlights

Previous studies have shown that body dissatisfaction and excessive investment in the body are precursors to the full range of unhealthy eating behaviors, including binge eating, restrictive dieting, and self-induced vomiting (Thompson and Stice, 2001; Wertheim et al, 2001; Levine and Piran, 2004)
We found that Body mass index – (BMI) (β = 0.48, p < 0.001), Thin Internalization (β = 0.40, p < 0.001) and Media pressure (β = 0.15, p < 0.01) significantly predicted body image dissatisfaction assessed by CDRS scale
We found that BMI (β = 0.18, p < 0.01), and Thin Internalization (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) significantly predicted body image dissatisfaction assessed by CDRS scale

Summary

Introduction

Previous studies have shown that body dissatisfaction and excessive investment in the body are precursors to the full range of unhealthy eating behaviors, including binge eating, restrictive dieting, and self-induced vomiting (Thompson and Stice, 2001; Wertheim et al, 2001; Levine and Piran, 2004). One of the most commonly used theories to explain the development of body image dissatisfaction is the Tripartite Influence Model (Thompson et al, 1999) This model proposes that three influences (peers, parents, and media) affect body image and eating problems through two mediational mechanisms: internalization of societal standards of appearance and excessive appearance comparison. After persistent exposure to these messages, the ideal becomes part of individuals’ personal beliefs of what constitutes attractiveness and beauty, and individuals start to internalize the appearance ideals, which they eventually interpret as originating from within the self Those that internalize the dominant message within their sociocultural environment to a greater extent, but at the same time don’t feel as they meet the standards are at higher risk of body image dissatisfaction (Thompson and Stice, 2001; Cafri et al, 2005). The Tripartite Influence Model was supported among boys and men (Karazsia and Crowther, 2008; Grammas and Schwartz, 2009; Jackson and Chen, 2010; Tylka, 2011; Hazzard et al, 2019); as well as among populations of homosexual and bisexual orientations (Tylka and Andorka, 2012; Huxley et al, 2015), and among various non-Western countries (Yamamiya et al, 2008; Mellor et al, 2009; Jackson and Chen, 2010; Papp et al, 2013; Shagar et al, 2019)

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Discussion

Conclusion