IMPAIRED COLOR NAMING OF FOOD AND BODY SHAPE WORDS - WEIGHT PHOBIA ORDISTINCT AFFECTIVE STATE

Objective: The current study investigated whether a concern with body shape and weight represents a distinct affective state, or whether it is better conceptualized as a highly specific form of anxiety. Method: The color-naming performance of women with a high Drive for Thinness score was examined under three experimental conditions: when a photogr aph oi chocolate was present, when actual chocolate was present, and a control condition. High Drive for Thinness subjects demonstrated rela tively impaired color naming of body shape words in the picture condit ion, but not in the food or control conditions. Results: Although ther e was a significant impairment in the color naming of food words, this was unaffected by condition or degree of Drive for Thinness. Discussi on: The results are interpreted as supporting an analogy between weigh t/body shape concerns and subclinical phobic anxiety. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.