title: Weight-related actual and ideal self-states, discrepancies, and shame, guilt, and pride: examining associations within the process model of self-conscious emotions.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between women's actual:ideal weight-related self-discrepancies and experiences of weight-related shame, guilt, and authentic pride using self-discrepancy (Higgins, 1987) and self-conscious emotion (Tracy & Robins, 2004) theories as guiding frameworks. Participants (N=398) completed self-report questionnaires. Main analyses involved polynomial regressions, followed by the computation and evaluation of response surface values. Actual and ideal weight self-states were related to shame (R2 = .35), guilt (R2 = .25), and authentic pride (R2 = .08). When the discrepancy between actual and ideal weights increased, shame and guilt also increased, while authentic pride decreased. Findings provide partial support for self-discrepancy theory and the process model of self-conscious emotions. Experiencing weight-related self-discrepancies may be important cognitive appraisals related to shame, guilt, and authentic pride. Further research is needed exploring the relations between self-discrepancies and a range of weight-related self-conscious emotions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. andree.castonguay@mail.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Andree L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Castonguay
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sabiston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D002170:Canada; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D056865:Ideal Body Weight; D007600:Judgment; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult