Male Body Image: Self-Perceived Weight Status and Avoidance of Body Exposure

Abstract

157 undergraduate students (M age 18.6 yr.) taking introductory psychology courses participated in this study to assess if men's self-perceived weight status is associated with a disposition to engage in or to avoid activities that would expose the body to scrutiny of male and female observers. A second objective of this study was to examine whether willingness to expose the upper torso would be associated with self-reports of anxiety about physique and fear of negative evaluation. Analysis indicated that both self-perceived overweight and underweight men reported less intent than self-perceived normal weight men to volunteer for activities that would expose the body to scrutiny. Surprisingly, participants volunteered for more activities if the viewers of their bodies were women than if they were men. Finally, endorsed unwillingness to expose the upper torso to others was significantly associated with increased social physique anxiety and higher fear of negative evaluation.