Physical appearance as a measure of social ranking: The role of a new scale to understand the relationship between weight and dieting

Abstract

This study presents the development of a new self-report instrument to assess how an individual perceives himself as social agent within his group having physical appearance as a reference, the Social Comparison through Physical Appearance Scale (SCPAS). This scale adds to the existent measures by assessing the social ranking based on one's physical appearance, and not the tendency to make comparisons of the general physical appearance or specific body parts. Its psychometric characteristics are investigated in a sample of 828 female participants from normal population. Principal components analysis was conducted for each part of the instrument: the Part A: peers shows a 2-factor structure (Attractiveness/Rank and Group Fit) explaining 72.142% of the variance; the Part B: models presents a one-dimensional structure that explains 69.191% of the variance. Findings show very good internal consistency coefficients and test-retest reliability. The two parts of the SCPAS are significantly associated to social comparison and shame measures, to anxiety, depression and stress indicators, and to eating disorders symptomatology. The scale discriminates between a clinical sample of 91 patients with an eating disorder and a non-clinical sample of 102 participants. Regression analyses pointed out that social comparison through physical appearance with peers and models partially mediates the effect of the dissatisfaction with current weight on disordered eating, namely drive for thinness.

How do warmth, safeness and connectedness-related memories and experiences explain disordered eating?

“…SCPAS [17] was developed to assess social comparisons based on the subjective perception of individual's group fit, attractiveness and social ranking according to the 8 way one compares oneself with others, using physical appearance as a reference.…”

“…In accordance to evolutionary perspective, this fundamental need is linked to the process of social comparison [16]. This process can be conceptualized as a defensive mechanism that allows individuals to estimate self-rank within their social group and to adapt his/her behaviours in accordance to what is social valued [12,16,17]. To increase the probability of being accepted by others and to compete for a secure social rank position, individuals need to be aware about the qualities appreciated by the social group (e.g., forms of beauty) [18,19].…”

“…Particularly, it has been demonstrated that negative social comparisons based on physical appearance are strongly associated to body image dissatisfaction and can lead to higher tendency to seek thinness and engage in disordered eating [22]. For women body image is a central self-evaluative dimension, 5 therefore, unfavourable social comparisons based on physical appearance are often associated with feelings of inferiority and inadequacy, which are part of the shame phenomenon [17]. The experience of shame emerges as a response to social threat, that occur when individuals believe that other's perceive him or her negatively (as inferior, defective, inadequate or unattractive) because of one's own characteristics [e.g., 12].…”

Normative body dissatisfaction and eating psychopathology in teenage girls: the impact of inflexible eating rules

“…Recently, research showed that body dissatisfaction and the over-evaluation of thinness are linked to unfavourable social comparisons, that is, to feelings of inferiority in comparison to others (e.g., [15,16]). …”

“…Physical appearance is indeed considered a main domain of social comparison and self-evaluation, especially for females [15]. This may be explained by the emphasis given to thinness as a valued attribute by the social group, and by its association to success, status and happiness (e.g., [17]).…”