Body Image and Voluntary Gaze Behaviors towards Physique-Salient Images.

April Karlinsky,Catherine M Sabiston,Holly Howe,Timothy N Welsh,Melissa De Jonge,Alan Kingstone

doi:10.3390/ijerph18052549

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore body image correlates of voluntary consumption of physique-salient media. A secondary aim was to assess changes in affect following media consumption. Young adult men (n = 47; mean age = 20.2 years) and women (n = 87; mean age = 19.5 years) were discretely exposed to images of same-sex models with idealized- and average-physiques while completing an irrelevant computer task. Voluntary gaze at the images was covertly recorded via hidden cameras. Participants also completed measures of affect before and after the computer task. Measures of body-related envy, body appreciation, and self-perceptions of attractiveness, thinness, and physical strength were completed. Men and women did not differ in how often nor for how long they looked at the images overall, but body image variables were differentially associated with their voluntary gaze behaviors. For men, higher body-related envy and lower body appreciation were correlated with more looks at the average-physique model. Although women reported higher body-related envy than men, envy and body appreciation were not significant correlates of gaze behaviors for women. Both men and women experienced a general affective decrease over time, but only for men was the change in negative affect associated with their time spent looking at the ideal-physique image. Overall, these findings suggest that body-related envy and body appreciation influence how men choose to consume physique-salient media, and that media consumption may have negative consequences for post-exposure affect. Body image factors appear to be more strongly associated with behavior in men, perhaps because men are generally less often exposed to physique-salient media and, in particular, to average-physique images.

Highlights

IntroductionPeople are frequently exposed to media depicting the Western idealized physique—
People are frequently exposed to media depicting the Western idealized physique—attractive, tall, thin women and muscular men [1,2]
The purpose of the present study was to understand body-image factors related to physique-salient media consumption

Summary

Introduction

People are frequently exposed to media depicting the Western idealized physique—. Attractive, tall, thin women and muscular men [1,2]. Exposure to physique-salient images has increased with advancements in social media; it is estimated that 700 million new photos are uploaded to Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram each day [3], with many of these images portraying idealized physiques [4]. Repeated exposure to media featuring idealized physiques can have a substantial negative impact on the mental and physical well-being of women [5] and men [1,6]. Body dissatisfaction, body anxiety, inactivity, disordered eating, depression, and low self-esteem are among the consequences of exposure to idealized physiques [1,5,7,8].

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Conclusion