title: Do these norms make me look fat? The effect of exposure to others' body preferences on personal body ideals.
abstract: In this study we examined the influence of normative body ideals in the form of perceived peer preferences on personal body ideals and body dissatisfaction Participants (N=146 female college students) were exposed to the purported preferences of peers representing either relatively thin or heavy body ideals. Along with the normative body ideal manipulation, the gender of the purported peers was manipulated. Participants then selected their ideal for their own body and body dissatisfaction was measured. Women selected a thinner personal body ideal in the thin norm condition than in the heavy norm condition. This effect was seen irrespective of the gender of the purported peers. Body dissatisfaction was not influenced by the manipulation. The malleability of body image and the influence of social factors on ideal body size are discussed.
authors: Room 314, Behavioral Sciences Building, Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3. Electronic address: abair@yorku.ca.
authors: Allison
authors: A
authors: Bair
authors: Room 331, Behavioral Sciences Building, Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3. Electronic address: steeleje@yorku.ca.
authors: Jennifer R
authors: JR
authors: Steele
authors: Room 241, Behavioral Sciences Building, Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3. Electronic address: jsmills@yorku.ca.
authors: Jennifer S
authors: JS
authors: Mills
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body dissatisfaction; Body ideal; Body image; Normative influence