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Understanding the impact of thin media models on women's body-focused affect: the roles of thin-ideal internalization and weight-related self-discrepancy activation in experimental exposure effects

Dittmar, Helga; Halliwell, Emma; Stirling, Emma

Authors

Helga Dittmar

Emma Stirling



Abstract

Previous experimental research demonstrates that exposure to ultra-thin media models has negative effects on many women's body image, but neglects underlying psychological processes. We develop and test a moderated mediation model with internalization of the thin beauty ideal as moderator, and activation of weight-related self-discrepancies as mediating mechanism through which exposure leads to heightened body-focused negative affect. We demonstrate that thin-internalizers' higher negative affect after exposure to advertisements featuring thin models is fully mediated by weight-related self-discrepancy activation (N= 87; Study 1). These findings replicate in a larger sample of women (N = 155; Study 2) and hold regardless of whether or not thin models' body size was emphasized during exposure. Implications for interventions are discussed.

Citation

Dittmar, H., Halliwell, E., & Stirling, E. (2009). Understanding the impact of thin media models on women's body-focused affect: the roles of thin-ideal internalization and weight-related self-discrepancy activation in experimental exposure effects. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 28(1), 43-72. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.43

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 9, 2009
Journal Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
Print ISSN 0736-7236
Publisher Guilford Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 28
Issue 1
Pages 43-72
DOI https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.43
Keywords body image, weight, media
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/999647
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.43