Body image dissatisfaction at moderate levels can be a normative experience for many women of current American culture. However, women whose body dissatisfaction exceeds moderate levels are vulnerable to developing an eating disorder. Empirical findings show body dissatisfaction predicts low self-esteem, depression, and overall poor quality of life. Various theories aim to understand factors involved in the development and maintenance of body dissatisfaction. Sociocultural factors, such as peers, family, and media, have gained the greatest empirical support. The tripartite influence model of body image dissatisfaction and eating disturbance integrates sociocultural factors, and has been empirically tested to evaluate risk factors using an established theoretical model. However, this model has primarily been applied to Caucasian samples. A recent trend in the body image literature is increasing attention to ethnic differences in body image. Jews are an ethnic minority who has been virtually ignored in the empirical literature on body image; yet, studies suggest Jewish females experience body dissatisfaction. To date, no published empirical study has applied the tripartite influence model to Jewish American females. A sociocultural model can potentially increase understanding of body dissatisfaction among Jewish American females. This study used the tripartite influence model to examine relationships among variables (Jewish identity, parental influence, internalization of appearance) hypothesized to relate to body image dissatisfaction. Participants were 255 self-identified Jewish American women who completed a web-based survey measuring these constructs. Results showed a significant, yet weak, relationship between Jewish identity and body dissatisfaction. Contrary to prediction, Jewish women perceived greater pressure from fathers to lose weight than mothers, and no difference in pressure from both parents to gain weight and gain muscle. As perceived pressure from fathers to lose weight increases, women reported greater body dissatisfaction. A significant but weak relationship was found between perceived pressure from fathers to gain muscle and body dissatisfaction. The more women internalize media messages promoting the thin ideal for women, women reported less body satisfaction. A significant but low correlation was found between women who endorsed the "toned," athletic body ideal and body dissatisfaction.

Diverses disciplines se sont intéressées à l’anorexie mentale au cours des dernières décennies et ont proposé différents modèles pour l’expliquer. Celui qui domine actuellement, le modèle biopsychosocial, permet de comprendre comment cette problématique se met en place au niveau proximal. Toutefois, une question perdure : existe-t-il une fonction biologique à ce trouble? Il s‘agit de l’énigme que les chercheurs adoptant une perspective évolutionniste ont tenté de résoudre. Plusieurs hypothèses ont été proposées et celles-ci seront revues et critiquées dans le cadre de ce mémoire. Ensuite, une hypothèse alternative, l’hypothèse de la compétition intrasexuelle pour le rang, sera présentée et visera à accroître la valeur explicative des modèles proposés. Il sera argumenté que la restriction alimentaire et les troubles qui en découlent sont des sous-produits de l’intensification de la compétition qui existe entre les femmes dans la culture occidentale moderne. Un projet de recherche mené auprès d’étudiantes universitaires a permis de tester certaines des prédictions faites par le modèle évolutionniste par des analyses corrélationnelles et de régression, en plus de tester l’intégration de la variable compétition au modèle de l’influence tripartite grâce à une analyse des pistes causales (Path analysis). Il a été découvert que la comparaison, la compétition et le rang subjectif en lien avec l’apparence physique sont toutes des variables liées à la recherche de minceur. Étant donné la portée limitée de cette étude, davantage de recherches seront nécessaires afin de bien démontrer la pertinence du modèle. / Various disciplines developed an interest in anorexia nervosa during the last decades and presented different models to explain it. The biopsychosocial model, currently prevailing, allows to understand how this issue takes place on a proximal level. However, one question remains : is there a biological function to this disorder? This is the enigma that researchers adopting an evolutionary perspective tried to solve. Several hypotheses have been formulated and those will be reviewed and criticized in the context of this master’s thesis. Thereafter, an alternative hypothesis, the intrasexual competition for rank hypothesis, will be presented and will aim to increase the explanatory value of the proposed models. It will be argued that self-starvation and disorders resulting from this behavior are by-product of the intensified competition existing between women in modern Western culture. A research project conducted among female university students permitted to test some of the predictions made by this evolutionary model via correlation and regression analysis, and to test the integration of the competition variable to the tripartite influence model with a Path analysis. It was discovered that comparison, competition and subjective rank related to physical appearance are all variables related to drive for thinness. Given the limited scope of this study, more research is needed to fully demonstrate the relevance of this model.