I Feel Better Naked: Communal Naked Activity Increases Body Appreciation by Reducing Social Physique Anxiety

Abstract

This research was funded in part (£682.85) by British Naturism.

Good Nudes and Bad Nudes: How Naturism, Casual Stripping, and Sexting Predict Social Physique Anxiety and Body Appreciation

“…Study 2 extended these findings by investigating three specific types of public nudity simultaneously: naturism, casual stripping, and sexting. In line with prior research (West, 2021) naturism predicted more body appreciation, and that this relationship was mediated by lower levels of social physique anxiety. Seemingly in contrast with prior research (Sherman & Hackathorn, 2020), casual stripping was also associated with positive outcomes: less social physique anxiety and (indirectly) more body appreciation.…”

“…The positive effects of naturism on body image have been already documented in previous research (e.g., West, 2018West, , 2020West, , 2021. Nonetheless, these findings add to the generalisability of the relationship between naturism and body image.…”

“…Prior research has also reliably found that physique anxiety predicts lower body appreciation (e.g., Alcaraz-Ibáñez et al, 2017;Jalalvand et al, 2012;Swami et al, 2014;West, 2021). It has also been shown that it can be reduced by brief interventions (Song et al, 2014), and has been shown to mediate the effects of nude activity on body appreciation (West, 2021). Thus, social physique anxiety was included as a potential mediator of the relationships between public nude activities and body appreciation in this research as well.…”

“…It predicts several negative outcomes such as disordered eating (Fitzsimmons-Craft et al, 2012) and lower levels of exercise (Mülazimoğlu-Balli et al, 2010). Prior research has also reliably found that physique anxiety predicts lower body appreciation (e.g., Alcaraz-Ibáñez et al, 2017;Jalalvand et al, 2012;Swami et al, 2014;West, 2021). It has also been shown that it can be reduced by brief interventions (Song et al, 2014), and has been shown to mediate the effects of nude activity on body appreciation (West, 2021).…”

“…As mentioned, this interpretation is incompatible with the finding that less anxiety about one's body is associated with more of some forms of public nudity (naturism and casual stripping), but less of other forms (sexting). Furthermore, prior experimental research has shown a causal effect of public nudity on social physique anxiety and body image (West, 2021).…”