title: The effects of priming in a cued dot-probe task on appearance-related attentional biases in women.
abstract: The dot-probe task (DPT) is a reaction time measure of attentional bias. Research using this task has found inconsistent patterns of appearance-related attentional biases in women. This study examined the effects of a novel priming variation of the DPT, which incorporated additional cues into each trial of the task, on measurement of such biases. The study also examined associations between these biases and body image, a component of eating disorder symptomatology. A convenience sample of women from the general community (N = 103) completed body image measures online and attended a laboratory session to complete one of four DPTs: (1) an appearance-cued DPT containing images of thin-ideal models between each trial; (2) neutral-cued DPT containing images of forests; (3) time-delayed DPT controlling for time in place of an image; or (4) typical DPT containing only word stimuli. Women who completed the appearance-cued DPT demonstrated a stronger attentional bias for positive, but not negative, appearance words than women who completed the other DPT versions. Furthermore, for the appearance-cued and time-delayed DPTs, this bias correlated with poorer body image across several indicators (appearance evaluation, body dissatisfaction, self-evaluative salience of appearance, and state body satisfaction). Although it was unexpected that no attentional bias for negative-appearance words was found, the attentional bias for positive-appearance words may suggest that effects were driven by the ego-threat of positive-appearance words. Further research is warranted to determine whether such biases contribute to and maintain body image disturbance and disordered eating.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia.
authors.forename: Ben R
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5277-5359
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Mulgrew
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia.
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mahar
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 170 Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia.
authors.forename: Siobhan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Loughnan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000070379:Attentional Bias / Q000502:physiology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attentional bias; body image; dot-probe task; media influences; women