Title

Self-objectification, habitual body monitoring, and body dissatisfaction in older European American women: Exploring age and feminism as moderators

Authors

Authors

K. P. Grippo;M. S. Hill

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Body Image

Keywords

body image; body dissatisfaction; aging; feminism; self-objectification; objectification theory; older women; feminist attitudes; habitual body; monitoring; middle-aged women; women; COLLEGE-WOMEN; LIFE-SPAN; HETEROSEXUAL WOMEN; EATING-DISORDERS; ELDERLY-WOMEN; IMAGE; CONSCIOUSNESS; ATTITUDES; IDENTITY; ESTEEM; Psychology, Clinical; Psychiatry; Psychology, Multidisciplinary

Abstract

This study examined the influence of feminist attitudes on self-objectification, habitual body monitoring, and body dissatisfaction in middle age and older women. The participants were 138 European American heterosexual women ranging in age from 40 to 87 years old. Consistent with previous research, self-objectification and habitual body monitoring were positively correlated with body dissatisfaction and, self-objectification and habitual body monitoring remained stable across the lifespan. While age did not moderate the relationship between self-objectification and body dissatisfaction, age was found to moderate the relationship between habitual body monitoring and body dissatisfaction such that the relationship was smaller for older women than for middle-aged women. Interestingly, feminist attitudes were not significantly correlated with body dissatisfaction, self-objectification, or habitual body monitoring, and endorsement of feminist attitudes was not found to moderate the relationship between self-objectification or habitual body monitoring and body dissatisfaction. Potential implications for older women are discussed. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

Body Image

Volume

5

Issue/Number

2

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

173

Last Page

182

WOS Identifier

WOS:000257362900005

ISSN

1740-1445

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