Upward appearance comparison and the development of eating pathology in college women

Arigo, Danielle; Schumacher, Leah M.; Martin, Lindsay

doi:10.1002/eat.22240

Cited by 53 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…This is concerning because these upward appearance comparisons lead women to feel dissatisfied with their bodies and be more motivated to engage in compensatory eating behaviors (Arigo, Schumacher, & Martin, 2014). Research has demonstrated a link between upward appearance comparisons and increases in body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, bulimia, and negative mood (Bailey & Ricciardelli, 2010;Ridolfi, Myers, Crowther, & Ciesla, 2011;Tiggemann, Polivy, & Hargreaves, 2009;Van den Berg & Thompson, 2007).…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Appearance comparisons styles and eating disordered symptoms in women

Lin

Soby

2016

Eating Behaviors

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Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Appearance comparisons styles and eating disordered symptoms in women

Lin

Soby

2016

Eating Behaviors

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“…This scale has been used with racially and ethnically diverse women. 22 Higher mean scores indicate a greater tendency to engage in appearance-related comparisons (current sample Upward a 5 .94; Downward a 5 .91).…”

Section: Upward and Downward Appearance Comparisons The 18-item Upwamentioning

confidence: 83%

Differential impact of upward and downward comparisons on diverse women's disordered eating behaviors and body image

Rancourt

Schaefer

Bosson

et al. 2015

Intl J Eating Disorders

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“…In line with these considerations, studies found that women with eating disorders engaging in upward appearance-based comparisons were at higher risk for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating [21, 22]. For men, a strong tendency to compare oneself to others exacerbated the relationship of body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Generally, body schemas have been provoked through questions regarding body image, commercials showing models with “ideal” bodies, or ads for beauty products [28]. Although models in magazines activate body schemas, it could also be assumed that they initiate social comparison processes, since for the investigation of comparisons similar procedures have been used [21, 22]. Another approach postulated that body exposure by mirror confrontation can provoke (negative) body schema [29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of muscle dysmorphia, social comparisons and body schema priming on desire for social interaction: an experimental approach

et al. 2017

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Background: Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a relatively young diagnosis referring to the desire for a high degree in lean muscle mass, while simultaneously believing that one is insufficiently muscular, mostly found in men. It goes along with a risk for social withdrawal to maintain rigid exercise and dietary regimen. The aim of the current study was thus, to explore differences in men with and without a risk for muscle dysmorphia regarding their desire for social interaction. Furthermore, we investigated potential effects of individual social comparison tendencies (the tendency to compare oneself with persons who are perceived to be superior or inferior to oneself on a certain dimension) and of one's own body schema on the desire for social interaction. Methods: One hundred physically active, college aged Austrian men were recruited via social media and flyers at fitness centers and the sports department of the University of Vienna. Participants were randomly assigned to a priming condition evoking their own body schema or a control condition and had to state their desire for social interaction with male or female stimulus persons of high or average attractiveness. We conducted a 2 (group of participant; men with vs. without a risk for MD) × 2 (priming condition; priming vs. non-priming) × 2 (attractiveness of stimulus person; highly attractive vs. less attractive) experimental design with different social comparison tendencies as covariates. Results: Men with a risk for muscle dysmorphia showed lesser desire for social interaction than men without this risk, which can be seen as a risk factor for psychopathological outcomes. Generally, men with and without a risk for muscle dysmorphia did not differ with regard to their preferences for attractive stimulus persons as subjects for social interaction. We confirmed the notion that a tendency for downward social comparisons goes along with a diminished desire for social interaction. Conclusions: This study showed that men with a risk for muscle dysmorphia appeared to be at higher risk for social withdrawal and that this is associated with social comparison tendencies. Future investigations on clinical populations are needed, for this population is highly prone to social isolation and negative outcomes related to it.

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Upward appearance comparison and the development of eating pathology in college women

Abstract: These findings suggest that the extent of upward appearance comparison may be useful for identifying college women at particular risk for developing clinically significant disordered eating symptoms.

Cited by 53 publications

References 17 publications

Appearance comparisons styles and eating disordered symptoms in women

Appearance comparisons styles and eating disordered symptoms in women

Differential impact of upward and downward comparisons on diverse women's disordered eating behaviors and body image

Effects of muscle dysmorphia, social comparisons and body schema priming on desire for social interaction: an experimental approach

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