Body image and personality among British men: Associations between the Big Five personality domains,drive for muscularity,and body appreciation

The present study examined associations between the Big Five personality domains and measures of men's body image. A total of 509 men from the community in London, UK, completed measures of drive for muscularity, body appreciation, the Big Five domains, and subjective social status, and provided their demographic details. The results of a hierarchical regression showed that, once the effects of participant body mass index (BMI) and subjective social status had been accounted for, men's drive for muscularity was significantly predicted by Neuroticism (β = .29). In addition, taking into account the effects of BMI and subjective social status, men's body appreciation was significantly predicted by Neuroticism (β = −.35) and Extraversion (β = .12). These findings highlight potential avenues for the development of intervention approaches based on the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and body image.     

Sexuality and the drive for muscularity: Evidence of associations among British men

Previous studies have documented associations between sexuality and body image, but the directionality of this association is unclear among men. This study examined whether men's drive for muscularity can be considered a correlate of their sexuality. A community-based sample of 292 heterosexual men from London, UK, completed a survey consisting of measures of drive for muscularity, sociosexuality, sexual assertiveness, sexual esteem, and sexual sensation seeking. A multiple regression analysis showed that greater drive for muscularity was predicted by more unrestricted sociosexuality (i.e., a greater proclivity for short-term, transient relationships), greater sexual sensation seeking, and greater sexual assertiveness, once the effects of participant age and body mass index had been accounted for. Possible avenues for intervention based on a sex-positive approach are discussed in conclusion.     

Social dominance orientation predicts drive for muscularity among British men

The present study tested the hypothesis that men's drive for muscularity would be associated with their valuation of domination, power, status, and aggression over others. A community sample of 359 men from London, UK, completed measures of drive for muscularity, social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, trait aggression, and need for power, as well as their demographic details. Bivariate correlations showed that greater drive for muscularity was significantly correlated with most of the measures and their subscales. However, in a multiple regression analysis, the only significant predictor of drive for muscularity was support for group-based dominance hierarchies (Adj. R² = .17). These results suggest that men's drive for muscularity is associated with a socio-political ideology that favours social dominance.     

Support for the uniqueness of body dissatisfaction from drive for muscularity among men

This study explored whether three dimensions of men's body dissatisfaction (muscularity, body fat, and height) are distinct from drive for muscularity (body image, behaviors, and attitudes) in a sample of 368 college men. If body dissatisfaction is a unique construct, then it will be associated with psychological well-being above and beyond the variance accounted for by drive for muscularity body image, behaviors, and attitudes. Findings revealed such incremental evidence, supporting body dissatisfaction's unique contribution to all five investigated indices of psychological well-being. Overall, body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity are not completely parallel constructs, highlighting the need to assess men's dissatisfaction with their muscularity, body fat, and height for a more comprehensive picture of their body image.     

知觉负载对负性分心面孔的知觉加工和记忆的影响

本研究采用视觉搜索和意外再认记忆任务,结合事件相关电位技术,考察知觉负载对负性分心面孔的知觉加工和记忆的影响。在视觉搜索任务中,行为上恐惧分心面孔在高负载下干扰任务。ERP结果上,恐惧比中性分心面孔诱发更大的N170和N250;在低负载下恐惧比中性分心面孔诱发更大的N700,在高负载下没有差异。在意外再认记忆中,个体对低负载下的恐惧分心面孔表现出记忆。这些结果说明负性分心物在早期是自动化加工;晚期加工受知觉负载的调节,负载越低对负性分心物的过滤越少,存在对负性分心物的记忆偏向。     

Psychosocial correlates of bulimic symptomatology among male athletes

ObjectivesTo examine the relationship of four psychosocial constructs – body dissatisfaction, restrained eating, drive for muscularity, and negative affect – that have been identified as potential risk factors for bulimic symptoms in male athletes.DesignWe used a cross-sectional design and self-report questionnaires.MethodsParticipants were 203 male, NCAA Division I athletes who were drawn from three different U.S. universities and who competed in 17 different varsity sports. Athletes completed self-report measures of body satisfaction, dietary restraint, drive for muscularity (i.e., muscularity behaviors, muscular body image), negative affect (i.e., fear, hostility, guilt, sadness), and bulimic symptomatology.ResultsAfter controlling for the effects of body mass and social desirability, hierarchical regression analysis showed that the psychosocial variables explained an additional 21% of the variance in bulimic symptoms. In the full model, engaging in muscle building behaviors (β = .16), such as lifting weights, as well as restricting caloric intake (β = .33) were associated with higher levels of bulimic symptomatology; negative affect and body dissatisfaction were not.ConclusionsMale athletes' bulimic symptomatology is best explained by the extent to which they report engaging in behaviors to become leaner (i.e., less body fat) and more muscular.     

When “reliability” fails,must a measure be discarded?—The case of Kinesthetic Aftereffect

Critics of Kinesthetic Aftereffect (KAE) recommend abandoning it as a personality measure largely because of poor test-retest reliability. Although no test can be valid if lacking true reliability, to discard a measure because of poor retest reliability is an oversimplification of validation procedures. This pitfall is exemplified here by a reexamination of KAE. KAE scores involve measures before (pretest) and after (test) aftereffect induction. Internal analysis of a KAE study showed: Differential bias is present; its locus is the second session pretest; its form makes second-session pretest scores functionally more similar to first- and second-session test scores and functionally more dissimilar to first-session pretest scores. Given this second session bias, the retest correlation tells us nothing about the true reliability of a one-session KAE score. However, if a measure possesses external validity, it must to some degree show true reliability. Based upon a literature review of one-session KAE validity studies, we conclude that one-session KAE scores are valid and hence show true reliability. KAE remains a promising personality measure.     

A study of career patterns of women college graduates

The employment and educational histories of 498 women college graduates of 1968 were investigated to assess the women's career progress in the 10 years since college. The women were classified in a proposed seven-category system of career patterns adapted from those of D. G. Zytowski (Personnel and Guidance Journal, 1969, 47, 660–664) and K. P. Wolfson (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1976, 23,(2), 119–125). The system established categories for pioneer (nontraditional) as well as traditional women's occupations at varying levels of both span (length) and degree of participation in paid employment. The seven resulting career pattern groups were compared on personal and career-relevant variables. The findings indicated that a majority of the women graduates have worked continuously outside the home since 1968, and many have entered pioneer occupations. Only 1.4% of the present sample of women were full-time homemakers throughout the 10-year period. On the other hand, 28.5% of the women in the sample were currently employed in pioneer occupations. A majority of the women (79%) have combined both careers and homemaking. Women in traditionally female careers, as compared with pioneer women, were less likely to change careers across the 10-year period, and were more likely to move in a horizontal or downward career direction. Pioneer women were more likely than traditionals to move from lower-to higher-level careers. The findings support the use of the adapted classification system in future studies and also provide data for use with women who are now planning for future careers and lifestyles.     

The use of conditional probabilities in applications of Holland's theory

The hexagon of J. L. Holland (1973, Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall) is a useful heuristic device for predicting congruency and consistency among the six personality/environment types specified by his theory. One limitation of the traditional hexagon is the implicit bidirectionality: the hexagon displays a single distance between two types. People in applied areas may assume a symmetry which does not exist. Examples are given of situations in which a consistent asymmetry occurs; e.g., in the illustrative data presented, C (Conventional) types are more likely to have E (Enterprising) as a secondary interest than E types are to have C as a secondary interest. Implications of such asymmetries are discussed and suggestions made concerning counseling and other applications.