Experimental manipulation of visual attention affects body size adaptation but not body dissatisfaction

Authors: Stephen, I.D., Hunter, K., Sturman, D., Mond, J., Stevenson, R.J. and Brooks, K.R.

Journal: International Journal of Eating Disorders

Volume: 52

Issue: 1

Pages: 79-87

eISSN: 1098-108X

ISSN: 0276-3478

DOI: 10.1002/eat.22976

Abstract:

Objective: Prolonged exposure to large/small bodies causes aftereffects in perceived body size. Outside the laboratory, individuals repeatedly exposed to small (large) bodies tend to over- (under-) estimate their size and exhibit increased (decreased) body dissatisfaction. Why, among individuals exposed to approximately equivalent distributions of body sizes, only some develop body size and shape misperception and/or body dissatisfaction is not yet fully understood. Method: We exposed 61 women to high and low adiposity bodies simultaneously, instructing half to attend to high, and half to low adiposity bodies. Results: Participants in the high adiposity attention condition's perception of “normal” body size significantly increased in adiposity, and vice versa. Discussion: This suggests that visual attention moderates body size aftereffects. Interventions encouraging visual attention to more realistic ranges of bodies may therefore reduce body misperception. No change in body dissatisfaction was found, suggesting that changes in the perceptual component (misperception) may not necessarily affect the attitudinal component (dissatisfaction) of body image distortion.

Source: Scopus

Experimental manipulation of visual attention affects body size adaptation but not body dissatisfaction.

Authors: Stephen, I.D., Hunter, K., Sturman, D., Mond, J., Stevenson, R.J. and Brooks, K.R.

Journal: Int J Eat Disord

eISSN: 1098-108X

DOI: 10.1002/eat.22976

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: Prolonged exposure to large/small bodies causes aftereffects in perceived body size. Outside the laboratory, individuals repeatedly exposed to small (large) bodies tend to over- (under-) estimate their size and exhibit increased (decreased) body dissatisfaction. Why, among individuals exposed to approximately equivalent distributions of body sizes, only some develop body size and shape misperception and/or body dissatisfaction is not yet fully understood. METHOD: We exposed 61 women to high and low adiposity bodies simultaneously, instructing half to attend to high, and half to low adiposity bodies. RESULTS: Participants in the high adiposity attention condition's perception of "normal" body size significantly increased in adiposity, and vice versa. DISCUSSION: This suggests that visual attention moderates body size aftereffects. Interventions encouraging visual attention to more realistic ranges of bodies may therefore reduce body misperception. No change in body dissatisfaction was found, suggesting that changes in the perceptual component (misperception) may not necessarily affect the attitudinal component (dissatisfaction) of body image distortion.

Source: PubMed

Experimental manipulation of visual attention affects body size adaptation but not body dissatisfaction

Authors: Stephen, I.D., Hunter, K., Sturman, D., Mond, J., Stevenson, R.J. and Brooks, K.R.

Journal: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS

Volume: 52

Issue: 1

Pages: 79-87

eISSN: 1098-108X

ISSN: 0276-3478

DOI: 10.1002/eat.22976

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Experimental manipulation of visual attention affects body size adaptation but not body dissatisfaction.

Authors: Stephen, I.D., Hunter, K., Sturman, D., Mond, J., Stevenson, R.J. and Brooks, K.R.

Journal: The International journal of eating disorders

eISSN: 1098-108X

ISSN: 0276-3478

DOI: 10.1002/eat.22976

Abstract:

Objective

Prolonged exposure to large/small bodies causes aftereffects in perceived body size. Outside the laboratory, individuals repeatedly exposed to small (large) bodies tend to over- (under-) estimate their size and exhibit increased (decreased) body dissatisfaction. Why, among individuals exposed to approximately equivalent distributions of body sizes, only some develop body size and shape misperception and/or body dissatisfaction is not yet fully understood.

Method

We exposed 61 women to high and low adiposity bodies simultaneously, instructing half to attend to high, and half to low adiposity bodies.

Results

Participants in the high adiposity attention condition's perception of "normal" body size significantly increased in adiposity, and vice versa.

Discussion

This suggests that visual attention moderates body size aftereffects. Interventions encouraging visual attention to more realistic ranges of bodies may therefore reduce body misperception. No change in body dissatisfaction was found, suggesting that changes in the perceptual component (misperception) may not necessarily affect the attitudinal component (dissatisfaction) of body image distortion.

Source: Europe PubMed Central