Physical attraction measured by use of a body figure scale in an age of changing body ideals: An age discriminated sample from a regional Australian city.
Description
There is a substantial body of research that uses figure rating scales for personal body image assessment and satisfaction where typically women self-identify as heavier than what they wish to be, and men self-identify as less muscular than what they wish to be. The aim of this research was to determine the difference in attractiveness of physical body image by age of men and women, where it was hypothesised that younger age groups would be more likely to identify more mesomorphic or muscular images as more attractive due to social media images and the “fitspiration” phenomenon. 460 participants who were representative of the population of a major Australian regional city were sampled using face-to-face interviews and made selections using a computer-based survey tool. Although the results of this study did not support the hypothesis, women were found likely to identify thin images of women as more attractive to men; and men were found likely to identify more muscular images of men as more attractive to women. These findings have implications for clinical treatments related to body image, eating disorders, and compulsive exercise.
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Steps to reproduce
Participants were requested to complete a survey and provide responses using figure rating scales. All surveys were conducted using face-to-face interview and completion of the computer-based survey tool in which participant answers were blind to the researchers to avoid any potential researcher bias. Each participant provided their age group and whether they were more attracted to members of the same or opposite biological sex. Each participant was provided both the endomorphic figure rating scale and the mesomorphic figure rating scale for men and women and requested to select the figure that best represented what they consider to be the best-fit average figure for both men and women in the Australian population, which figure best represented what they consider to be the most attractive (depending on sexual preference), and which figure best represented what they believe their preferred sexual partner (men or women) would find the most attractive. Sampling was conducted at various public locations around a major Australian regional city. Locations were selected where a cross-section of persons representative of the population were likely to occur. Sampling locations include parks and recreation areas, sporting venues, market venues, and various shopping centres where permission was granted. Sampling took place at various times of the day (morning, during the day, afternoon, and evening) in order to achieve a population-representative sample. Only adults (persons over the age of 18) were recruited for this study. Prospective participants under the age of 18 were excluded; as were persons clearly under the influence of alcohol or drugs (to ensure informed consent). As a convenience sample, all participants who read the participant information sheet and provided consent were invited to complete the survey.
Institutions
- Australian Army