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Related Experiment Videos

Body image perception among men in three countries.

H G Pope1, A J Gruber, B Mangweth

  • 1Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. pope@mclean.harvard.edu

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|July 27, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Men in Western societies desire significantly more muscular bodies than they have or perceive women prefer. This body image discrepancy may contribute to muscle dysmorphia and steroid abuse.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Anthropology

Background:

  • Modern Western societies often promote specific body ideals for men.
  • There is a growing concern about body image issues and related disorders among men.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that men in Western societies desire leaner, more muscular bodies than their own.
  • To compare men's perceived ideal bodies with their actual physiques and perceived female preferences.

Main Methods:

  • College-aged men from Austria, France, and the United States (N=200) had their height, weight, and body fat measured.
  • A computerized test (somatomorphic matrix) was used for men to select their current body, ideal body, average male body, and perceived female-preferred body images.
  • Men's measured muscularity and fat were compared to their chosen body images.

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Main Results:

  • Men across all countries desired bodies significantly more muscular (approx. 28 lbs/13 kg) than their own.
  • Men estimated that women preferred even more muscular bodies (approx. 30 lbs/14 kg) than their own ideal.
  • A pilot study indicated that women actually preferred average male bodies without excessive muscle.

Conclusions:

  • A significant gap exists between men's actual muscularity and their body ideals.
  • This discrepancy may contribute to the rise of conditions like muscle dysmorphia and anabolic steroid abuse in men.
  • Men's perceptions of female preferences for muscularity may be inaccurate.