Body Image and Mental Health Flashcards
Body image
A multidimensional construct that reflects a person’s feelings, perceptions, thoughts, cognitions, and behaviours related to his or her body appearance and function.
4 Dimensions of Body Image
- Affective (feelings)
- Perceptual (mental representations)
- Cognitive (thoughts/beliefs)
- Behavioural (choices andf actiond)
Affective Dimension (4)
- Social physique anxiety: Anxiety a person experiences as a result of perceived or actual judgments from others.
- Body-related shame: A negative emotion that is focused on the global physical self (e.g., I am an ugly person).
- Body-related guilt: A negative emotion attributed to a failure of completing an action or behaviour (e.g., I didn’t exercise).
- Body-related pride: A positive emotion that results from an individual feeling satisfied with his or her body-related behaviour or physical attributes.
*authentic vs. hubristic pride
Perceptual Dimension
-Mental representation or reflections on body appearance and function.
-It relates to the level of accuracy between a person’s perceived characteristics and actual characteristics.
Cognitive Dimension
-Thoughts, beliefs, and evaluation of body appearance and function.
-This dimension is often assessed using measures in which respondents are asked to describe their level of satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with their body shape, size, weight, and function.
Behavioural Dimension
-Choices and actions people take based on their perceptions, feelings, thoughts, and cognitions about body size, weight, and function.
-This dimension may include avoiding situations or events, diverting attention away from the body by wearing loose-fitting clothing, engaging in dieting, steroid use, weight monitoring, exercise, etc…
Is body image only relative to women?
-Historically body image only a “women’s issue”
-Body image challenges among boys/men emerging
-Females and males pursue different body sizes and shapes
-Differences occur through socialization processes, stereotyping, media, etc.
-Need gender-specific interventions
Body Image Pathologies
- Body dysmorphia- over-exaggerated and inaccurate perceptions of flaws related to body parts and characteristics.
- Body dysmorphic disorder- an exaggerated preoccupation with imagined defect in appearance.
- Muscle dysmorphia- a belief that body is too small, too skinny, and insufficiently muscular, even though this may not be the case, and the obsessive desire to gain muscle.
- Eating disorders- mental disorders defined as abnormal eating habits that result in insufficient or excessive consumption of food
- Bulimia nervosa- Recurrent binge eating and purging
- Anorexia nervosa- food restriction
- Binge eating- overeating without purging
Socio-Cultural Theories
-Proposes that media, parents, and peers have influence on body image (positive and negative)
-Repeated media exposure to idealized and attractive images may promote self-criticism
Self-Presentation
-Process that involves impressive motivation and impressive construction.
*Self-presentation can discourage from physical activity or motivate towards desired image.
Impressive motivation vs. Impressive construction
Impressive motivation- how motivated individuals are to control how they are perceived by other people.
Impressive construction- creating an image that one wishes to convey to others along with the particular strategies individuals use to create this impression (athletic clothing, makeup, tanning lotions, etc.).
Self-presentation efficacy
Reflects the perceived probability of successfully conveying one’s desired impressions to others. Driven by self-efficacy beliefs.
Social Comparison Theory (2 components)
-People evaluate abilities through comparison.
-Downward social comparison= comparing oneself to others who are worse off on attributes of value (e.g., appearance, body shape).
-Upward social comparison= comparing oneself to others who are better off on attributes that are valued.
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Compare self to internalized standards called self-guides.
2 types of self-guides:
1. Ideal self: a self-reflection characterized by one’s hopes and aspirations of what they want to be.
2. Ought self: a self-reflection characterized by one’s hopes and aspirations of what they think they should be.
2 types of self-discrepancies:
1. Actual: Ideal discrepancy- occurs when people perceive that their current state is different from their ideal state.
2. Actual: Ought discrepancy- occurs when individuals perceive that their current state is different from the state they feel they should be in
Cognitive dissonance training
-A program consisting of having people argue against body ideals in a way that is incongruent with their personal beliefs.
-Speak and write critiques against “ideal” even if ideal is internalized
-Produces discomfort and motivates reduced pursuit of ideal
-Does not require delivery by trained psychologist
