Social Comparison and Women's Body Satisfaction

Abstract

Exposure to pictures of thin-ideal female members of the media has been shown to reduce body satisfaction in women, which in turn has been implicated in various eating disorders. This experiment was designed principally to determine how social comparisons with peers affect general self-esteem, body satisfaction, confidence, and anxiety. In a "dating game" scenario, female undergraduates (N = 67) were randomly assigned to a thin-peer, oversize-peer, or control (no-photo) condition. Through computer manipulation, photos depicted the same woman's face with either a thin or oversize body shape. Results indicated comparison condition did not affect general self-esteem. However, exposure to the thin peer did reduce body satisfaction and confidence and, for those without a boyfriend, raised anxiety. Exposure to an oversize peer produced no compensatory, elevating effects on body satisfaction and confidence. Such an asymmetric comparison effect may contribute to the high prevalence of body dissatisfaction reported among women.