Personality and individual difference correlates of positive body image.
In the present study, 101 women and 106 men from a community sample of British adults completed the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), along with a battery of individual difference measures and demographics. Contrary to previous findings, there were no sex differences in BAS scores, either before or after controlling for individual differences in other measures. The results also showed that, moderating for participants' sex, self-assessed attractiveness, educational qualifications, neuroticism, extraversion, and BMI were all significant predictors of body appreciation. In addition, higher media consumption and higher (male-stereotypic) instrumentality were associated with, but did not predict, higher body appreciation. These results are discussed in relation to the extant work on body image.
Swami
Viren
V
Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW, United Kingdom. virenswami@hotmail.com
Hadji-Michael
Maria
M
Furnham
Adrian
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004522:Educational Status; D004954:Esthetics; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D013240:Stereotyping