title: Media images and female body dissatisfaction: the moderating effects of the Five-Factor traits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine how the Five-Factor personality traits moderated the effects of exposure to idealized images on body dissatisfaction in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four college women completed the NEO-PI and the Eating Disorder Inventory and were then randomly exposed to images of either thin fashion models or heavier, ("plus-sized") models. Following presentation of the stimuli, participants completed a second body esteem measure, which was the dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women high in neuroticism showed significantly greater shifts in body esteem following exposure to media images than did less neurotic women, feeling more dissatisfied with their bodies after viewing idealized images and more satisfied with their bodies after viewing heavier women. Each of the other traits was associated with more favorable self-appraisals following exposure to the idealizing images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the Five-Factor traits, the harmful effects of idealized images seem to be limited to women with relatively higher levels of neuroticism. These results suggest that the harmful effects of media images may not be as pervasive as is widely believed.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, IN, USA. alarober@indiana.edu
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Good
mesh_terms: D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010551:Personality; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult