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Ethnic differences in women's body satisfaction: an experimental investigation
G R Henriques1, L G Calhoun, A Cann
1Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, USA.
The Journal of Social Psychology
|December 1, 1996
Summary
Body satisfaction is influenced differently by social feedback across ethnic groups. White women's body satisfaction changed with feedback, while Black women's did not, highlighting ethnic differences in body image resilience.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Cultural Studies
Background:
- Body satisfaction is influenced by various factors, including mood and social feedback.
- Previous research has not fully explored ethnic differences in the stability of body satisfaction.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for addressing body image issues across diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ethnic differences in the stability of body satisfaction.
- To examine how social feedback affects body satisfaction in White and Black women.
- To clarify the complex relationship between ethnicity and body image.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 84 White and 33 Black undergraduate women.
- Administered bogus positive or negative social feedback to participants.
- Measured the impact of feedback on participants' body satisfaction levels.
Main Results:
- Positive social feedback enhanced body satisfaction in White women.
- Negative social feedback diminished body satisfaction in White women.
- Black women's body satisfaction remained unaffected by the social feedback provided.
Conclusions:
- Body satisfaction is not uniformly affected by social feedback across different ethnic groups.
- Findings suggest a need to differentiate ethnic groups when studying body image and eating disorders.
- Results have implications for understanding and treating bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders in diverse populations.