GENDER-ROLE ORIENTATION AND BODY-IMAGE IN WOMEN AND MEN - THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF NEUROTICISM

This study examined the effects of gender-role orientation on aspects of body image satisfaction in a group of primarily Caucasian young wom en and men. It also examined whether neuroticism-a broad, higher-order dimension of personality-functioned additively or interactively with gender-role orientation in the prediction of body image. Similar to pr evious research, masculinity was related to positive body image in wom en. For men, results were in the opposite direction. Femininity, and n ot masculinity, was related to body satisfaction. Of particular intere st were the findings that neuroticism interacted both with masculinity in women and femininity in men in predicting positive ratings of attr activeness. In both cases, the positive relationship between gender-ro le orientation and attractiveness only existed at low levels of neurot icism. As neuroticism increased, the relationship diminished; there wa s no relationship at all at high levels of neuroticism Results are dis cussed in terms of the differential significance of gender-role orient ation for body esteem in women and men, and with respect to the modera ting influence of personality factors.