Perception of body shape by underweight average, and overweight men and women.
Using figure drawings, perception of body shape was evaluated by underweight, average, and overweight men and women. Body-shape dissatisfaction was greatest for 60 overweight women, and about the same in 151 average weight women as it was for 102 overweight men. Average weight men (n = 107) and underweight women (n = 31) were fairly satisfied with their current shapes. Both men and women had distorted views of the shape the opposite sex found most attractive. Women guessed that men would prefer a thinner shape than they actually did, and men guessed that women would prefer a larger shape than they actually did. The distortion was larger for men as their own size increased but not for women.
Department of Psychology, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ 07764-1898, USA.
J
J
Demarest
E
E
Langer
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012945:Social Values; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology*