Bill Thornton

Physical Attractiveness Contrast Effect: Implications for Self-Esteem and Evaluations of the Social Self

Three studies examined the impact of a physical attractiveness contrast effect on self-evaluations. Self-ratings of attractiveness by men and women exposed to highly attractive same-sex stimulus persons (negative contrast) were lower than those of peons not so exposed; attractiveness self-ratings were enhanced by exposure to unattractive stimulus persons (positive contrast). Global self-esteem was not influenced by a negative contrast effect; however, an adverse affect was observed on a more specific assessment of social self-esteem based on interpersonal competence. Corresponding increases in public self-consciousness occurred. 77e positive contrast effect was associated with marginally increased social self-esteem but not with heightened public self-consciousness. The potential role of public self-consciousness in mediating the attractiveness contrast effect is considered

Physique Contrast Effect: Adverse Impact of Idealized Body Images for Women

Adherence to an attractiveness ideal was considered as a possible mediator of a physique contrast effect among Caucasian women. Following exposure to photographs of models typifying idealized thin physiques, women displayed decreased self-esteem and increased self-consciousness, social physique anxiety, and body dissatisfaction. Although women with low adherence to an attractiveness ideal seemed to be advantaged by having greater self-esteem, less self-consciousness, and lower physique anxiety or dissatisfaction than their high adherence counterparts, these women did not display any unique resistance to the contrast effect. High affirmation of an attractiveness ideal was associated with exceptionally high potential for disordered eating. Eating disorder potential did not show influence of the contrast effect, but long-term implications were considered.

Forms of competitive attitude and achievement orientation in relation to disordered eating

The primary focus in this study was anexamination of the differential contributions of twodifferent forms of competitive attitude to disorderedeating in a nonclinical sample of Caucasian universitywomen. The results showed that it is not competitionper se that is a primary contributor to eatingdisorders, but rather a particular form of competitiveattitude. Specifically, hypercompetitiveness was related strongly to eating disorder symptoms, butpersonal development competitiveness was unrelated. Asecond purpose considered the relationship ofcontext-specific measures of achievement to eatingdisorder symptoms. Disordered eating was associatedpositively with the need to achieve in appearance, butnot to a need to achieve in academics and career.Discussion centered on the potential usefulness of these findings in the treatment of women who areeating disordered. It also argued for changes in asocialization process which often leads to thedevelopment of hypercompetitive attitudes and anovervaluing of beauty in American women.

Physical attractiveness contrast effect and the moderating influence of self-consciousness

Separate studies provided evidence of amoderating effect of public selfconsciousness (trait)and public self-awareness (state) on the physicalattractiveness contrast effect involving socialcomparison between the self and others. Generally, whenexposed to photographs of attractive women withidealized physiques, womens self-perceptions of theirown physical attractiveness, social physique anxiety, and social self-esteem were each negativelyaffected. However, these negative contrast effects weremost apparent among women with high publicself-consciousness (trait assessment, Study 1) or highpublic self-awareness (state inducement, Study 2).Implications of these findings are considered.

Relationship between physical attractiveness, physical effectiveness, and self-esteem: a cross-sectional analysis among adolescents

In the present study, the relative contributions of physical attractiveness and physical effectiveness to the self-esteem were examined among four different grade-levels of adolescents (mean ages; 12.5, 14.6, 16.3, 18.3 years old). Overall, both attractiveness and effectiveness were significantly related to the self-esteem of males and females. In contrast to previous research, attractiveness and effectiveness did not appear to be differentially important to the self-esteem of males and females and consistent patterns were evident across the different grade-levels. These results are believed to reflect changes occurring in sex-role expectations and socialization.

Gender typing, importance of multiple roles, and mental health consequences for women

The present study examined the interactive influence of gender role typing and multiple role involvement with regard to specific mental health concerns among middle-class Caucasian women. As with previous research, depression and anxiety proved to be a function of gender role typing (feminine-typed and undifferentiated women displayed greater depression and anxiety relative to masculine-typed or androgynous women) with no differences attributable to multiple role involvement. For substance abuse, however, an interaction effect was obtained. Gender-typed (both masculine and feminine) women striving to excel across multiple roles engaged in greater substance abuse than women not gender typed (androgynous and undifferentiated); indeed, the latter displayed low risk comparable to women not similarly striving at multiple roles regardless of gender typing. A similar interaction previously has been reported with regard to disordered eating. These findings suggest that the lack of gender typing for women may enable them to cope more effectively with the conflicting demands of multiple roles and thereby reduce certain health risk behaviors (e.g., disordered eating and substance abuse), but that other mental health concerns (e.g., depression and anxiety) may not be similarly affected.

Gender role typing, the superwoman ideal, and the potential for eating disorders

The interactive effects of gender role typing and adherence to a superwoman ideal (desiring to excel in many diverse roles) on the potential for disordered eating were examined among a nonclinical sample of women. Results indicated that both masculine and feminine gender-typed women who strongly adhered to a superwoman ideal were at greater risk for eating disorders than androgynous superwomen. In contrast, androgynous superwomen had relatively low potential for disordered eating and appeared comparable to women who, regardless of gender typing, rejected the superwoman ideal. Women undifferentiated with regard to gender type, whether superwomen or not, also had reduced potential for disordered eating. Findings are discussed with regard to gender role socialization and expectations, and the implications for mediating the potential for eating disorders are considered.

Competitive Personality Attitudes and Forgiveness of Others

ABSTRACT The authors conducted a survey to determine whether competitive attitudes are differentially associated with forgiveness or lack of forgiveness of others. The results showed that hypercompetitiveness was associated with a lack of forgiveness, whereas personal development competitiveness was associated positively with forgiveness. Discussion centers on the need to discourage socialization practices that foster the adoption of a self-contained individualism that is associated with a maladaptive hypercompetitiveness. Instead, parents should promote an ensembled individualism that is associated with a psychologically healthy personal development competitive orientation.

Assessment of the Full Content of Physique Stereotypes with a Free-Response Format

A major limitation of physique stereotyping research is that American subjects have used a restricted set of traits provided by the experimenter to evaluate endomorphs, mesomorphs, and ectomorphs. A free-response procedure was used in Study 1 to identify the full domain of traits associated with each physique. Although many of the traits identified were similar to those used in previous research, a number of new trait dimensions were uncovered. In Study 2, the large number of traits generated with the free-response format was reduced by combining synonyms. This new set of traits was placed in semantic differential format and given to a new sample of subjects to evaluate. The results paralleled those of the first study with the exception that ectomorphs were seen more favorably. This discrepancy, as well as the fact that raters listed trait antonyms within each of the three major physiques in Study 1, suggests the possibility of unique subtypes within the global stereotypes. Examples of these subtypes are proposed.

Circumventing Social Desirability Response Bias in Personal Interview Surveys

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACT Social desirability is a major source of bias and non-response in personal interview surveys involving sensitive questions. Bogus pipeline is a technique recommended by psychologists to circumvent the problem of social desirability response bias. Although the technique has been shown to be useful in some cases, it is not portable and cannot be taken from door-to-door. Moreover, some psychologists have questioned its effectiveness. Another technique used by psychologists is the randomized response technique. The paper recommends the use of a “partial” randomization response technique and compares its effectiveness with the “full” randomization technique and the bogus pipeline technique by using survey results involving female students under the age of thirty from introductory statistics and psychology courses.