Looking up and Seeing Green

Women’s Everyday Experiences With Physical Appearance Comparisons

Bibliographic Data

ID12003350
AuthorsStephanie Mckee (0000-0002-6592-9051, Sonoma State University), Heather J Smith (0000-0003-0811-729X, Sonoma State University, corresponding author), Aubrey Koch (Sonoma State University), Rhonda Balzarini (0000-0001-7443-1266, Sonoma State University), Marissa Georges (Sonoma State University), Matthew Paolucci Callahan (Sonoma State University)
Year2013
Volume37
Issue3
Pages351-365
Publication date2013-01-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychology of Women Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0361-6843 • E-ISSN: 1471-6402
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0361684312469792
OpenAlexW2012772795
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited59

Psychological research documents the extent to which physical appearance comparisons are associated with negative emotional experiences, but researchers typically study physical appearance comparisons isolated from other comparison experiences. As part of a signal-contingent experience sampling design, 87 female undergraduate students recorded whether they had made any comparison about any topic after they received a text message at three randomly chosen times a day for 7 days. In contrast to other comparisons, physical appearance comparisons were more likely to be upward contrasts to dissimilar targets associated with increased envy, less inspiration, less pride, and less anxiety. Women who reported more demographically similar close friends reported more envy following physical appearance comparisons in contrast to women who reported more demographically diverse close friends. Women who associated their body with a better quality of life reported more inspiration and less envy following physical appearance comparisons. More demographically diverse close friends and a more positive body image may protect women from the negative emotional consequences associated with physical appearance comparisons. These data indicate that the positive benefits for interpersonal judgments associated with close cross-group friends extend to intrapersonal reactions to physical appearance comparisons

Anxiety · Contrast (vision · Developmental psychology · Human physical appearance · Interpersonal communication · Intrapersonal communication · Physical attractiveness · Pride · Social comparison theory · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Social Psychology