title: Body image and personality: associations between the Big Five Personality Factors, actual-ideal weight discrepancy, and body appreciation.
abstract: Studies have suggested associations between personality dimensions and body image constructs, but these have not been conclusively established. In two studies, we examined direct associations between the Big Five dimensions and two body image constructs, actual-ideal weight discrepancy and body appreciation. In Study 1, 950 women completed measures of both body image constructs and a brief measure of the Big Five dimensions. In Study 2,339 women completed measures of the body image constructs and a more reliable measure of the Big Five. Both studies showed that Neuroticism was significantly associated with actual-ideal weight discrepancy (positively) and body appreciation (negatively) once the effects of body mass index and social status had been accounted for. These results are consistent with the suggestion that Neuroticism is a trait of public health significance requiring attention by body image scholars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London, UK. v.swami@westminster.ac.uk
authors.forename: Viren
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Swami
authors.forename: Ulrich S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Louise Hoffmann
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kanaan
authors.forename: Ellen-Marlene
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Luesse
authors.forename: Ingo W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Nader
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pietschnig
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stieger
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voracek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept