Evidence for attentional bias in women exhibiting bulimotypic symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
One of the defining features of bulimia is a pervasive tendency to focus on and evaluate one's own body. The extent to which bulimotypic symptoms are associated with biases in attention to other individuals in the social world is less well known. In the current study, we examined the relation between bulimotypic symptoms and biases in attention to other men and women.


METHODS
A sample of undergraduate women performed a visual cueing task designed to assess attention to target faces varying in their gender and level of attractiveness.


RESULTS
Women with relatively high levels of bulimotypic symptomatology tended to dwell on attractive female faces, but not other faces. This attentional bias was not attributable to perfectionistic ideals, body dissatisfaction, or self-esteem.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings could reflect a link between disordered eating and the perception of competitive threat in other attractive women.
Maner
Jon K
JK
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1270, USA. maner@psy.fsu.edu
Holm-Denoma
Jill M
JM
Van Orden
Kimberly A
KA
Gailliot
Matthew T
MT
Gordon
Kathryn H
KH
Joiner
Thomas E
TE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014796:Visual Perception