The Affective Consequences of Minimizing Women's Body Image Concerns

Bibliographic Data

ID12005449
AuthorsJennifer K Bosson (0000-0003-2566-1078, University of South Florida, corresponding author), Elizabeth C Pinel (0000-0003-0224-0000, University of Vermont), J Kevin Thompson (0000-0001-9816-0659, University of South Florida)
Year2008
Volume32
Issue3
Pages257-266
Publication date2008-08-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychology of Women Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0361-6843 • E-ISSN: 1471-6402
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1111/j.1471-6402.2008.00434.x
OpenAlexW2037599883
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited71

We propose that women regularly anticipate and receive messages from others that trivialize the severity of their body image concerns. Moreover, we suggest that these minimizing messages can heighten women's negative affective reactions to body image threats, particularly if they internalize them. Two studies provided support for these ideas. In Study 1, women and men estimated the likelihood that others would minimize the feelings of a woman who felt badly about her body. As expected, women estimated a high likelihood of minimization. In Study 2, women internalized or rejected a message that either minimized or validated the severity of body image concerns before undergoing a body image threat themselves. Women felt heightened negative affect following the threat if they internalized the minimizing message, but they maintained their prethreat affective state if they rejected the minimizing message or internalized the validating message. The discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for research on effective social support and clinical interventions

Affect (linguistics · Feeling · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies · Communication · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Social Psychology