Gender differences in state body satisfaction, affect, and body-related attention patterns towards one's own and a peer's body: an Eye-Tracking Study with Women and Men
Autor(en): | Arkenau, Rike Bauer, Anika Schneider, Silvia Vocks, Silja |
Stichwörter: | ADOLESCENT GIRLS; APPEARANCE; BEHAVIORS; BIASES; Body-related attention allocation; Body-related attentional bias; DISSATISFACTION; EATING-DISORDERS; Gender differences; NEGATIVE AFFECT; Psychology; Psychology, Clinical; SELF; State affect; State body satisfaction; VISUAL-ATTENTION; WEIGHT | Erscheinungsdatum: | 2022 | Herausgeber: | SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS | Journal: | COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH | Volumen: | 46 | Ausgabe: | 4 | Startseite: | 735 | Seitenende: | 746 | Zusammenfassung: | Background Body-related attentional biases are assumed to contribute to the development and maintenance of body-related concerns or specific mental disorders such as eating disorders. However, while studies have indicated gender-specific differences in body-related concerns, less is known about gender-specific differences in body-related attention allocation. Methods An eye-tracking paradigm was used to assess women's (n = 41) and men's (n = 42) attention patterns towards their own and a peer's body. Additionally, state body satisfaction and affect were examined. Results While both women and men showed higher state positive and negative affect after viewing one's own body than after viewing a peer's body, only women displayed worse state body satisfaction after viewing one's own body than after viewing a peer's body. Conversely, both genders showed a similar deficit-oriented attention pattern, irrespective of the presented body type. Conclusions The findings provide evidence of gender-specific differences in state body satisfaction after viewing one's own and a peer's body. However, these differences do not seem to be reflected by gender differences in body-related attention allocation. As both women and men showed a deficit-oriented attentional bias, they might benefit from interventions which aim to establish a functional or self-serving way of looking at one's own body. |
ISSN: | 0147-5916 | DOI: | 10.1007/s10608-022-10300-5 |
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