“Thinspiration” vs. “fear of fat”. Using prototypes to predict frequent weight-loss dieting in females

Dalley, Simon E.; Buunk, Abraham P.

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2008.09.019

Cited by 51 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Finally, the negativity bias reported in our study also converges with empirical findings suggesting that it is a fear of fat (rather than ‘thinspiration’), which primarily motivates WLD behaviour (e.g. Chernyak & Lowe, ; Dalley & Buunk, ; Gruber et al, ; Woud, Anschutz, Van Strien, & Becker, ). However, the present study extends this research because it suggests that the magnitude of such fear, at least in part, is dependent on the cognitive availability of, as well as a perceived similarity to, a future overweight self.…”

Section: Studysupporting

confidence: 89%

The motivation to diet in young women: Fear is stronger than hope

Dalley

Buunk

2011

Euro J Social Psych

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This research examined the relative impact of a hoped-for, thin body and a feared, overweight body on weight-loss dieting (WLD) motivation. We hypothesised that the women most motivated to engage in WLD would report a higher similarity to, and a higher cognitive availability of, a feared, overweight body. In study 1, WLD motivation was operationalized as WLD intention and in study 2 as a food choice (chocolate bar versus low-fat snack bar). As expected, those most similar to the feared body and who had a highly available overweight body had the greatest intention to engage in WLD, and were more likely to choose a lowfat snack over a chocolate bar. The implications of our findings for future research as well as the development of eating pathology in college women are discussed.

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Section: Studysupporting

confidence: 89%

The motivation to diet in young women: Fear is stronger than hope

Dalley

Buunk

2011

Euro J Social Psych

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“…The finding that eating disorders symptoms were correlated with a priori covariation bias between obese bodies and a fear-relevant outcome fits perfectly with the substantial amount of research indicating that fear (of becoming fat) is playing a role in eating pathology (e.g., Abraham et al, 2009;Ellison et al, 1998;Friederich et al, 2007). It also suits nicely with the recent finding of Dalley and Buunk (2009) that frequently dieting women fear to become associated with an over-fat identity (rather than being inspired to approach a thinidealized identity). It is easy to imagine that a relatively strong cognitive link between an overweight body and fear might incite participants to rely on unhealthy strategies to control their weight, and as such serves as a maintaining factor in eating pathology.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Fear- and disgust-related covariation bias and eating disorders symptoms in healthy young women

Mayer

Muris

Wilschut

2011

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry

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“…One explanation for the present pattern of findings is that lifestyle television programs that focus on "real" women in fact remind women of the thin ideal and the difficulty of attaining such an ideal (Anschutz et al, 2009). That is, the explicit focus on average-sized (or larger) women may activate higher self-awareness and motivate a fear of fatness (Dalley & Buunk, 2009), which in turn results in greater body-focused anxiety and body weight dissatisfaction. Such lifestyles programs may also result in more negative body image for other reasons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

HowNotto Feel Good Naked? The Effects of Television Programs that Use “Real Women” on Female Viewers' Body Image and Mood

Swami¹,

Smith²

2012

Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology

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A recent raft of lifestyle television programs have attempted through the presentation of "real women" and their corporeal experiences to promote positive body image, but their actual efficacy in doing so has not been examined. in the present study, (1) a lifestyle show aimed at promoting positive body image using average-sized actors (n = 40); (2) a modelling competition with an explicit focus on the thin ideal (n = 40); and (3) a nature series containing neutral content (n = 40). during pre-and post-exposure sessions, participants completed measures of body-focused anxiety, body weight dissatisfaction, and mood. Preliminary analyses showed that participants in each of the three groups did not significantly differ in key demographics and attitudes toward the video clips. however, participants in both experimental groups, but not the control group, reported more negative body-focused anxiety and body weight dissatisfaction in the post-test session. Participants exposed to the video clip focused on the thin ideal, but not the clip that ostensibly promotes positive body image, reported more negative post-exposure mood. these results are discussed in terms of the deleterious effects of lifestyle television programs that seek to (re)define "real women" as those who engage in traditional beauty practices and who are willing to work on the body.

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“Thinspiration” vs. “fear of fat”. Using prototypes to predict frequent weight-loss dieting in females

Cited by 51 publications

References 35 publications

The motivation to diet in young women: Fear is stronger than hope

The motivation to diet in young women: Fear is stronger than hope

Fear- and disgust-related covariation bias and eating disorders symptoms in healthy young women

HowNotto Feel Good Naked? The Effects of Television Programs that Use “Real Women” on Female Viewers' Body Image and Mood

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