The effects of the ideal of female beauty on mood and body satisfaction

TLDR

The study examined how viewing thin‑ideal fashion magazine images affects women's mood states. Female university students completed mood, body satisfaction, and eating disorder inventories, then the experimental group viewed 20 fashion model slides while a control group viewed non‑human slides, after which all participants reassessed mood and body satisfaction. Exposure to fashion model images increased depression and anger in women, indicating a negative mood impact that supports a link between media images and disordered eating. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Int J Eat Disord 25:223–226.

Abstract

Objective The present study examined changes in women's mood states resulting from their viewing pictures in fashion magazines of models who represent a thin ideal. Method Female university students completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale (BPSS), and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). They were then exposed to 20 slides; the experimental group (N = 51) viewed images of female fashion models and a control group (N = 67) viewed slides containing no human figures. All subjects then completed the POMS and the BPSS again. Results Women were more depressed (R2 = 0.745, p <.05) and more angry (R2 = 0.73, p <.01) following exposure to slides of female fashion models. Discussion Viewing images of female fashion models had an immediate negative effect on women's mood. This study, therefore, supports the hypothesis that media images do play a role in disordered eating. © 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 25: 223–226, 1999.