| Body image has become an increasingly important area of research in a number of fields of psychology in western countries. Many researchs indicate that negative body image may cause disordered eating, anxiety, depression and so on. College students are more concerned about their physical appearance, and their body images are more vulnerable to the social culture. Various sociocultural factors have been implicated in the development of negative body image. Using the mature sociocultural theory and the objectification theory in western culture, this study focused on negative body image's media and peers influences in Chinese college students.Based on the concurrent body image reseach in China, the present study revised the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, Objectified Body Consciousness Scale-surveillance subscale, and Self-Objectification Questionnaire. Body Image's Peer Influence Questionnaire was developed too. All scales have satisfying validities and reliabilities.The participants were 426 Chinese college students. The investigation results indicated the following: Concerning about appearance and talking about appearance with peers are pervasive in college students. They pay much attention to media information regarding physical appearance, but the proportion of students with medium or high internalization level is smaller. In media concern, peer influence, body surveillance, and internalization four areas, females all scored significantly higher than males.Nearly half of college students are not satisfied with their physical appearance. The general dissatisfication of body is the strongest, followed by short, fat, and facial looks dissatisfication. Female college students' negative body images are significantly higher than males. Grade, age difference is not significant. BMI (Body Mass Index) and height have a significant impact on negative body image.The mediating effects of internalization and body surveillance were tested. Internalization is the mediator of peer influences and negative body image for males, wheras internalization is the mediator of media concern and negative body image for females. Path analysis suggested that BMI and height influenced body image directly, and media and peer indirectly influenced body image throung nternalization and body surveillance.An experiment was designed to determine if the females who were in higher internalization level would evaluate their body image more negative than those in lower internalization level following exposure to attractive female images. The experiment results of 24 female college students didn't support the hypothese. At the end of the thesis, the limitations, implications, and future directions of this study are discussed. |
