Do the images we look at influence what we think is the normal body size? The impact of media consumption.
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1
Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia
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2
School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia
Aim: Previous research has found that exposure to images of people with a thin body size results in an aftereffect where subsequent images appear larger than they actually are. The opposite effect occurs after exposure to images of people with larger bodies. However, these studies have used standardised exposure images, where features of the image such as pose and lighting are standardised, rather than more ecologically valid images. The current research sought to determine if images typical to those seen in the media impact perceptions of body size and if this impact is equivalent to that caused by adaptation to standardised images. Method: Participants were 60 university staff and students (male = 25, female = 35, mean age = 27.7, SD = 9.5). Participants completed a computer task where they adjusted the body size of computer generated bodies to the size they perceived to be ‘normal’, before and after viewing images from four image libraries including; i) standardised/high body fat; ii) standardised/low body fat; iii) media typical/high body fat; and iv) media typical/low body fat. Results: Adaptation to standardised images significantly increased the size of what was considered normal for those viewing high body fat images, t(14) = 5.01, p < .001, but not low body fat images, t(14) = -1.43, p = .174. There was a similar increase when exposed to media typical high body fat images, t(14) = 3.72 p = .002, but not low body fat images, t(14) = 0.33, p = .746. There was no significant difference in the pattern of results for media typical and standardised images F(1, 56) = 0.31, p = .579. Conclusions: Extending previous research using standardised images, misperceptions of body size can also occur after viewing high body fat images typically seen in the media.
Keywords:
adaptation,
Body size misperception,
Aftereffects,
Media images,
Perception
Conference:
15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference , Coffs Harbour, Australia, 4 Oct - 5 Oct, 2018.
Presentation Type:
Research
Topic:
Abstract for 15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference
Citation:
Ledger
JC,
Longstaff
MG and
Stevens
CJ
(2019). Do the images we look at influence what we think is the normal body size? The impact of media consumption..
Front. Psychol.
Conference Abstract:
15th Annual Psychology Honours Research Conference .
doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2018.74.00015
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Received:
18 Sep 2018;
Published Online:
27 Sep 2019.
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Correspondence:
Ms. Jessica C Ledger, Department of Psychological Science, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia, j.ledger.12@student.scu.edu.au