Abstract
The present study investigated various measurement issues related to male and female body image, with a particular focus on the former, which has historically received relatively little empirical attention. To address the four primary objectives of the present investigation, 154 male and 122 female introductory psychology students were administered various body image instruments. Results suggest that assessing both body fatness and muscularity provides a more comprehensive assessment of male body image than assessing only a single dimension, the latter of which has traditionally been done with males. Also, males appear to be more dissatisfied with their bodies than has historically been reported. Specifically, they selected ideal bodies that were markedly more muscular and less fat than they perceived themselves to be. For both males and females, there were no significant order effects, i.e., responses did not differ depending on the order in which the body image questions (current, ideal, attractive) were asked. Also, the importance attributed to attainment of the identified ideal body did not moderate the relationship between the current-ideal discrepancy and affective body satisfaction, for either males or females. The attitudes towards muscularity held by the males did not aid the prediction of affective body satisfaction. Lastly, the collected male and female behavioral data provide useful clues as to where to look for possible predictors (e.g., ideal muscularity, affective body satisfaction, etc.) of potentially harmful diet and exercise behaviors (e.g., pro-hormone use, fasting, etc.).
Brown, Joshua Daniel (2002). Male body image: critical measurement issues. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -2002 -THESIS -B78.