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

    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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