The developmental and cultural contexts of objectified body consciousness: a longitudinal analysis of two cohorts of women.
Longitudinal analysis of 10-year follow-up data on objectified body consciousness, body esteem, weight-related attitudes and behaviors, and psychological well-being in 74 middle-aged and 72 young women tested hypotheses developed from age-related change and cohort differences models of body experience. Young women's body surveillance and body shame decreased, and their body esteem increased, supporting an age-related changes model. Relationships between variables were relatively consistent with the 2 cohorts across data waves, supporting a cohort differences model, although nonoverlapping cohorts limit the interpretation of the data. The importance of developmental context in understanding women's body experience is discussed.
McKinley
Nita Mary
NM
Interdisciplinary Arts and Science, University of Washington, Tacoma, 98402, USA. nmmckin@u.washington.edu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D012752:Shame; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology