Associations between Chinese/Asian versus Western mass media influences and body image disturbances of young Chinese women.
In this study, we evaluated associations of experiences with mass media imported from Western nations such as the United States versus mass media from China and other Asian countries with eating and body image disturbances of young Chinese women. Participating women (N=456) completed self-report measures of disordered eating, specific sources of appearance dissatisfaction (fatness, facial features, stature), and Western versus Chinese/Asian mass media influences. The sample was significantly more likely to report perceived pressure from, comparisons with, and preferences for physical appearance depictions in Chinese/Asian mass media than Western media. Chinese/Asian media influences also combined for more unique variance in prediction models for all disturbances except stature concerns. While experiences with Western media were related to disturbances as well, the overall impact of Chinese/Asian media influences was more prominent.
Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, China. Electronic address: toddjackson@hotmail.com.
Todd
T
Jackson
Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
Chengcheng
C
Jiang
Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
Hong
H
Chen
D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D002681:China; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D012649:Self Concept; D012932:Social Facilitation; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
Body image; Culture; Disordered eating; Mass media; Westernization