Task 2 how are our friends, peers and families influencing our body image and behavior? Flashcards
Peer influence in body image and behavior
It may strength or weaken a girl´s body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, … along the social comparison theory, especially same sex peers are targers for body comparisons.
sociocultural theory of body image
“normative body ideals” ( i.e what other people find more attractive and desirable) are communicated through the mass media and are often reinforced by peers and family.
Fat talk
A form of self -degradation in which the speaker criticizes his or her own body weight, shape or physical fitness but do not make any effort at active problem solving.
Phenomenon which primarily occurs among women and is socially normative in western society.
Fat talk begets more fat talk from the conversational partner– harmful cycle
Associated with known risk factors such as body shaming, development of eating disorders, thin-ideal idealization and general body dissatisfaction.
Fat talk as a social norm
Fat talk is z normative experience, which is depicted i media and happens in everyday life
There is no difference in ages, BMI and ethnicities, even though overweight women tend to engage more than thin woman.
Reciprocal norm you expect people to engage in fat talk and join them
womens body ideals may represent an attempt to conform to the perceived ideals of other woman and man
peer group act as enforcers of body ideals, focusing women on their bodies and the extent to which they deviate from group norms
Theoris of fat talk
Objectification theory( Frederickson and Robertss)
Cognitive dissonance theory( Festinger)
Self-perception theory(Bem)
Pluralistic ignorance
sociocultural theory body images
objectification theory (Frederickson and roberts)
Explains why women engage in fat talk in the first place
women are objectified by others, which leads to self-objectification
seen as a behavioral manifestation of ones body shame and anxiety not meeting up to societies standards
degradation of ones body show “guilt” or “shame”
Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger)
Explains the negative effects of fat talk
the individual changes his/her self-concept to tget rid of the dissonance
self concept is brought in line with how society objectifies women
“I dont think im fat but society sees people of my weight as overweight so i must be fat”
Self perception theory (bem)
Explains the negative aspects of fat talk
individuals observe their own behavior and then infer what beliefs or attitudes led to that behavior ( start to seeing one self as fat after engaging in fat talk)
Pluralistic ignorance
Explains why women continue to engage into fat talk
Most members of a grouo reject a norm but incorrectly assume that the rest does
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Maintained by fear of social isolation
Purpose served by fat talk
Absolution of guilt from overeating, being heavier than the thin ideal.
reassurance from others that one is not fat
desire for social support or cohesion
reciprocity of fat talk can help to reduce the anxiety of being different from others in terms of body size and body dissatisfaction
fat talk temporarily reduces distress or insecurity( receiving compliments or seeing that others also feel bad about their bodies).
A way of taking control of the objectification by calling attention to their own faults before others have the opportunity to do so
Moderators of the adverse effect of fat talk
Dietary restraint status is an individual difference that moderates the causal effects of fat talk
women who are low in trait self objectification felt rather socially supported after fat talk whereas women scoring high in trait self objectification were reminded of their constant anxiety and felt worse.
