ADVERSE-EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA PORTRAYED THIN-IDEAL ON WOMEN AND LINKAGES TO BULIMIC SYMPTOMATOLOGY

Although researchers have postulated that the thin-ideal body image po rtrayed in the media contributes to eating pathology among females, li ttle research has directly examined the effects of these images on wom en. The central aim of the present study was to experimentally assess the effects of exposure to the thin-ideal on women's affect, body sati sfaction, and endorsement of the thin-ideal stereotype. The secondary aim was to link these putative mediators to bulimic symptomatology. Fe male undergraduates (N = 157) were randomly exposed to pictures from m agazines containing either ultra-thin models, average-sized models, or no models. Results indicated that exposure to the thin-ideal produced depression, stress, guilt, shame, insecurity, and body dissatisfactio n. Further, multiple regression analyses indicated that negative affec t, body dissatisfaction, and subscription to the thin-ideal predicted bulimic symptoms. Implications for the sociocultural model of bulimia, prevention, and future research are discussed.