From the jungle to urban centers

Body Image and Self-Esteem of Women in Three Different Cultures

Bibliographic Data

ID3101006
AuthorsJulia Odinga (MSH Medical School Hamburg – University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, corresponding author), Erich Kasten (0000-0001-9420-3201, MSH Medical School Hamburg – University of Applied Sciences and Medical University)
Year2020
Volume4
Issue1
Publication date2020-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2366-1003 • E-ISSN: 2366-1003
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1186/s41257-020-00030-5
OpenAlexW3031443702
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited35

The aim of this study is to compare body image, body perception, body satisfaction, body-related self-esteem and overall self-esteem of women from three different cultural backgrounds. The survey covers a sample of 187 women, including 133 Germans, 31 Q'eqchi', and 23 Colombians. Two groups (in Germany and Colombia) live in urban centers, while one group (in Guatemala: Q'eqchi') is a jungle-based ethnic group descended from the Maya where the body perception was largely unaffected by media. The instruments used in this study are the Figure Rating Scale, the Body-Esteem Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. According to the study, German and Colombian women prefer a significantly slimmer body and perceive themselves more critically than Q'eqchi'. There are no significant differences in body perception between German and Colombian women. Q'eqchi' women do not have significantly higher body satisfaction than German and Colombian women. Although German women have significantly higher body satisfaction than Colombian women, Q'eqchi' women have the highest body-related self-esteem on average. Colombian women in turn have a higher body-related self-esteem than German women. There is a positive correlation between body satisfaction with both body-related self-esteem and overall self-esteem in all three groups. In conclusion, the German and Columbian women living in urban settings look much slimmer, prefer much slimmer bodies and have lower body-related self-esteem, compared to jungle-dwelling Q'eqchi' women in Guatemala

Ethnic group · Geography · German · Jungle · Perception · Self-esteem · Sociology · Anthropology · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Demography · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social Psychology

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