Body Image Assessment: Perceptual and Attitudinal Techniques

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Measuring Perceptual Body Image

Historical Background

• Eating disorders research

• Slade & Russell (1973)

• Photographic image or distorting mirror

• The 1980s = individuals without eating disorders

• Size estimation < subjective disturbance <- cognitive aspects of body image

Reconceptualization of Body Image Measurement

• In late 1980s, separation of sensory and non sensory component

  • Sensory components: Activation of visual system

  • Non-sensory components: Cognitive and affective responses (interpretation)

• They function independently so they need to be assessed separately

Components of attitudinal body image

1. Global subjective evaluation: Overall satisfaction-dissatisfaction of appearance

2. Affective distress regarding appearance: Negative emotions about appearance

3. Cognitive aspects of body image: Investment/importance in and thoughts/beliefs about appearance

4. Behavioral avoidance reflective of appearance dissatisfaction: Avoidance of body-image threatening situations

Measures of Global Body Image

• Discrepancy between actual and ideal weights

Limitations: Accuracy and subjective distress

• Likert-type scale

Limitations: Range and scope

• Figural ratings

Select figures representing current and ideal shapes e.g. Standards Figure Rating Scale Limitations: Representativeness and unequal differences between figures

• Figural ratings

To respond to limitations, new figural scales are developed

Swami et al. (2008) Photographic images Pulvers et al. (2004) Black women Suzuki (2014) 3-D Japanese women

• Questionnaire measures

Subjective global (dis)satisfaction

Measures of affective, cognitive, and behavioral components of body image

• Affective measures

Emotions associated with appearance

• Cognitive measures

Beliefs, thoughts, attributions

• Behavioral measures

Behaviors related to body image

Methodological issues

1. Research vs. clinical purposes

2. Topic of interest

3. Psychometric dat