title: Appearance investment mediates the association between fear of negative evaluation and dietary restraint.
abstract: This study investigated whether appearance investment explains the association between fear of negative evaluation and dietary restraint. Data were collected from 305 undergraduate female participants in an online survey. Mediation analyses were conducted using Preacher and Hayes (2008) Indirect Mediation macro. Results showed that both components of appearance investment that is, holding appearance as central to self-definition and the tendency to engage in appearance management behaviours, mediate the association between fear of negative evaluation and dietary restraint. The Baron and Kenny (1986) method further showed that holding appearance as central to self-definition fully mediates this association but that engagement in appearance management behaviours only partially mediates it. These results suggest that appearance investment could prompt women to diet to try to lose weight to fend off feared negative evaluation from others.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Felicia M
authors: FM
authors: Chang
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: jjary@uwindsor.ca.
authors: Josée L
authors: JL
authors: Jarry
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Appearance investment; Dietary restraint; Fear of negative evaluation