African American Men’s Perceptions of Body Figure Attractiveness

Abstract

This study examined African American men’s perceptions of body figure attractiveness based on their acculturation levels. Seventy-five African American men between the ages of 18 and 35 attending a traditionally White university in the Southeast region of the United States volunteered for this study. Results from a one-wayANOVArevealed that African American men perceived women with smaller body figures as more attractive than women with larger body figures. However, as it relates to the ideal body figure to date, African American men chose the moderate (medium) body figure. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences between African American men’s perceptions of body figure attractiveness and their acculturation levels. Explanations and implications of these results are discussed.