Female body dissatisfaction after exposure to overweight and thin media images: The role of body mass index and neuroticism

Author: Simon E. Dalley, Abraham P. Buunk, and Turul Umit

Source:

• Background: In western cultures, it was predicted that body image dissatisfaction is a cause of eating disorder, and a result of exposure to social comparison through positive comparison of thinner media images. "Fatness" is considered unattractive and associated with body image dissatisfaction. There is a consistent correlation between body mass index and body image dissatisfaction in many past studies. Also, personality may be a a predictor of eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction. Some women are affected, negatively or positively, by self-image comparisons to media images, but some women are not affected at all. According to Mattrews and Deary, neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait in the study of psychology. It is an enduring tendency to experience negative emotional states. Individuals who score high on neuroticism are more likely than the average to experience such feelings as anxiety,anger, guilt, and clinical depression. They respond more poorly to environmental stress, and are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. They are often self-conscious and shy, and they may have trouble controlling urges and delaying gratification. Neuroticism is related to emotional intelligence, which involves emotional regulation, motivation, and interpersonal skills. It is also considered to be a predisposition for traditional neuroses, such as phobias and other anxiety disorders
• Argument:
  -Hypothesis 1: Women with high body mass index will have a more significant reaction to body image dissatisfaction after viewing overweight images than after viewing thin media images.
  -Hypothesis 2: Neuroticism is a significant factor between body image dissatisfaction and body mass index towards overweight images, rather than thin images.
• Method: This study involved 177 female participants that filled out questionnaires related to body mass index, thin media images, overweight media images, and personality. An 100-point rating scale was used to determine the correlation between weight and size dissatisfaction. The Eysenck personality scale was used to determine each participants personality. Body mass index was measured through self-reported height and weight. A 7-point rating scale (Likert) was used to rate 70 images (40 thin and 30 overweight images).
• Results: Thin images were seen as more attractive than overweight images.
  -Thin media images: Women with low body mass index shows a high increase to body image dissatisfaction and higher neuroticism. In contrasts, women with high body body mass index shows a slight increase in body image dissatisfaction and neuroticism. Overall, women with low body mass index are more affected by thin images than women with high body mass index after viewing thin media images.
  -Overweight media images: Women with low body mass index shows a decrease in body image dissatisfaction and neuroticism. In contrast, women with high body mass index shows significant increase in body image dissatisfaction and neuroticism. Overall, women with high body mass index are more affected by overweight media images than women with low body mass index.
• Personal thoughts: Regardless of the difference between body mass index, all women feel were more affected (increase in body dissatisfaction) after viewing thin media images. Women believed that the thin images were the more relevant images to compare their bodies to. Women with higher body mass index and neuroticism were more affected by overweight images. I believe the reason for this is because they try to compare themselves to thin images, so when they view an overweight image-they believe that the overweight image is unattractive-which also associate with their self-image. In contrast, the women with lower body mass index felt better about themselves after viewing the overweight images because they compare themselves to the overweight images and believed they were more attractive because they were thinner than the images.