Social comparison theory offers a useful conceptual framework to understand
how mainstream American sociocultural values of appearance may shape the
development of body image disturbance and eating disorders. Some experimental
research demonstrates that women report significantly greater increases in negative
affect and body image disturbance and decreases in self-esteem after viewing thin
models than after viewing inanimate objects, normal-weight models, and overweight
women. The main goal of this study was to investigate whether the effects of viewing
thin models are influenced by the ethnicity of the observer and/or the ethnic and racial
similarity of the model to the observer. In addition, the study tested the extent to which
social comparison tendency, trait appearance evaluation, ethnic identity, and racial
identity may moderate these effects. In study 1, women rated the race, attractiveness, and
thinness of a group of ethnically diverse models. Study 2 assessed affect, self-esteem,
and body image in Euro-American (n = 105), African-American (n = 91), and Latina (n
= 111) women before and after viewing ethnically self-similar models, self-different
models, or control images. Results indicated that ethnic similarity between model and participants influenced affect such that increased social comparison tendency in Latina
participants predicted increased negative affect after viewing Latina models.
Additionally, the type of media images viewed and proposed moderators influenced
affect and body image. As predicted, positive appearance evaluation was more strongly
associated with positive feelings about one’s weight after viewing models and, in
African-American and Latina women, increased idealization of Whiteness was
associated with decreased positive feelings regarding one’s weight after viewing White
models. Unexpectedly, increased social comparison tendency was associated with
increased positive affect after viewing African-American models whereas increased
social comparison tendency was associated with less positive affect after viewing Latina
models. Finally, independent of media exposure, African-American women reported
higher appearance-based self-esteem and body image than Euro-American and Latina
women and increased social comparison tendency, decreased positive appearance
evaluation, decreased ethnic identity, and increased racial identity idealizing Whiteness
were each associated with undesirable levels of self-esteem and body image. Clinical
implications and directions for future research are provided.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-1856 |
| Date | 02 June 2009 |
| Creators | Warren, Cortney Soderlind |
| Contributors | Cepeda-Benito, Antonio, Gleaves, David H |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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