title: Body region dissatisfaction predicts attention to body regions on other women.
abstract: The proliferation of "idealized" (i.e., very thin and attractive) women in the media has contributed to increasing rates of body dissatisfaction among women. However, it remains relatively unknown how women attend to these images: does dissatisfaction predict greater or lesser attention to these body regions on others? Fifty healthy women (mean age=21.8 years) viewed images of idealized and plus-size models; an eye-tracker recorded visual attention. Participants also completed measures of satisfaction for specific body regions, which were then used as predictors of visual attention to these regions on models. Consistent with an avoidance-type process, lower levels of satisfaction with the two regions of greatest reported concern (mid, lower torso) predicted less attention to these regions; greater satisfaction predicted more attention to these regions. While this visual attention bias may aid in preserving self-esteem when viewing idealized others, it may preclude the opportunity for comparisons that could improve self-esteem.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: alykins@une.edu.au.
authors.forename: Amy D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lykins
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001315:Australia; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D013851:Thinness; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body dissatisfaction; Body image; Body satisfaction; Eye-tracking; Visual attention; Women