Body-Image and Body-Beautification among Female College Students

Abstract

Women's body-image has social and personal implications. Judgments about the body can be based on appearance (public body-consciousness), internal sensations (private body-consciousness) or body-effectiveness (body-competence). The correlates of body-image and beautification were studied in a group of 245 female undergraduates who completed a body-beautification questionnaire, the Body-consciousness Inventory, the Body-cathexis/Self-cathexis Scale, and questions on feminist identification. Significant correlations were found between public body-consciousness and beautification. Body-cathexis was also correlated with body-competence. For feminists, a competent body was correlated with awareness of internal sensations, while nonfeminists connect a competent body with appearance. Results were discussed in relation to the social and cultural pressures for women to focus on appearance.