Gender and Cultural Differences in the Relationships between Self-Esteem Contingency, Body Talk, and Body Esteem

This study analyzed the positive and negative body talk of male and female adolescents cross-culturally with an emphasis on the role of appearance-contingent and others’ approval-contingent self-worth. A cross-national survey in Austria, Belgium, Spain, and South Korea among 12- to 16-year-olds (982 female and 993 male) found that (1) positive body talk was positively related and negative body talk was negatively related to body esteem; (2) appearance contingency was positively related to negative body talk; (3) appearance contingency increased positive body talk among girls (except Korean girls); and (4) contingency on other’s approval increased positive body talk among boys in all four countries. Overall, gender differences were more prominent than cultural differences and positive body talk was instrumental in promoting adolescents’ body esteem.

Body Talk on Social Networking Sites and Cosmetic Surgery Consideration Among Chinese Young Adults: A Serial Mediation Model Based on Objectification Theory

People’s interest in cosmetic surgery has increased in recent years. Drawing from objectification theory, in the present study, we examined the associations of body talk on social networking sites (SNS), body surveillance, and body shame with cosmetic surgery consideration. In particular, we examined the mediating roles of body surveillance and body shame in the relationship between SNS body talk and cosmetic surgery consideration. We also examined potential gender differences in the serial mediation model. Male and female college students in China ( N = 309) completed questionnaires regarding SNS body talk, body surveillance, body shame, and cosmetic surgery consideration. Results showed that SNS body talk, body surveillance, and body shame were positively associated with cosmetic surgery consideration. Body surveillance and body shame mediated the association between SNS body talk and cosmetic surgery consideration both separately and sequentially. Gender did not moderate any of the relations in the serial mediation model. Findings of this study provide new insight into the relationship between SNS use and cosmetic surgery and highlight facets of objectification as potential targets for prevention and intervention regarding appearance concerns.

The Impact of Different Responses to Negative Body Talk on Body Satisfaction, Shame, and Future Fat Talk Likelihood: A UK Sample

A recent online experiment found that, following a negative body talk induction task, receiving a response of ignoring the comment, compared with reassuring, reciprocating, and challenging, led to worse body satisfaction and socio-emotional outcomes for Australian women. The current online study aimed to replicate and extend this study by examining the effects of these four negative body talk responses on body satisfaction, shame, and future negative body talk likelihood in UK-based women. Participants (N = 156, Mage = 25.29, SDage = 5.64, rangeage = 18-40) recalled a scenario in which they engaged in negative body talk and were randomly assigned to receive one of four responses. Contrary to hypotheses, there were no significant differences in body satisfaction, shame, or future negative body talk likelihood across the four groups. Preferred negative body talk response data were mixed, with challenge and reassurance responses preferred at comparable rates, and just under a quarter of participants preferring a response outside of the original four. Possible explanations, including that the responses used in the original Australasian study may not perfectly correspond with UK women’s experiences of social interactions and heterogeneous motivations for engaging in negative body talk necessitate more nuanced and sophisticated responses, are explored.