Psychology
Beyond thinness: The influence of a curvaceous body ideal on body dissatisfaction in black and white women
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This study examined whether a curvaceous body ideal differentially influenced sources of body dissatisfaction in 116 Black and 222 White women at a northeastern U. S. university. We measured idealization of and dissatisfaction with three components of a curvaceous ideal: breast size, buttock size, and weight. Although most women preferred a curvaceous body shape, more White women preferred this ideal to be slender with medium breasts whereas more Black women preferred this ideal to be curvier with medium breasts and large buttocks. Women discrepant from these ideals reported more dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction with the curvaceous ideal predicted appearance concerns. Findings highlight the need to consider valued body ideals other than thinness as potential sources of dissatisfaction among women of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
Publication Title
Sex Roles
Publication Date
2010
Volume
63
Issue
1
First Page
91
Last Page
103
ISSN
0360-0025
DOI
10.1007/s11199-010-9792-4
Keywords
body dissatisfaction, breast size, buttock size, curvaceous ideal, race, weight
Repository Citation
Overstreet, Nicole M.; Quinn, Diane M.; and Agocha, V. Bede, "Beyond thinness: The influence of a curvaceous body ideal on body dissatisfaction in black and white women" (2010). Psychology. 567.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/567
