Study #4: "Body Image and Personality: Associations Between the Big Five Personality Factors, Actual-Ideal Weight Discrepancy, and Body Appreciation"
This article presented information that tied personality traits developed by the Big Five model to body image issues. The authors of the study found a correlation between high scores of neuroticism and having body image issues, as well as placing a high important on body image issues ( Swami et al. 2013). The body image issues the study refers to can range from "dissatisfaciton with facial appearance, higher weight preoccupation, [and] self-objectification" to "lower body appreciation, and greater actual-ideal weight discrepancy" (Swami et al). In previous studies, women with higher scores of neuroticism are known to be prone to negative thinking and being dissatisfied overall. Also, the study points out that family values and gender roles could also play a part in the developing of neruotic behavior in relation to body image issues. Other traits that have to do with body image issues include openness and agreeableness, as previous studies have found that women with stronger traits of openness and agreeableness typically self-objectify more, but more 'open' women also view a variety of body types as attractive.
This particular study that was done involved women looking at pictures of other women ranging in sizes and selecting the one that most closely resembled their figure (Swami et al.). This method allowed the researchers to get an idea of what a woman thinks her body looks like ( Swami et al.). Then, the researchers compared this data to the information gathered by administering the Big Five personality analysis, and were able to draw conclusions ( Swami et al.). In this study, it was found that with looking at only the Big Five traits, when women had a lower score in extraversion, there was a higher discrepancy between real weight and ideal body weight. In cases of low scores of neuroticism, and high extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, women typically had higher scores in body appreciation.
This was an interesting study because women with body image issues, that could possibly lead to dangeorus eating disorders, might be able to be helped by acknowledging the neuroticism personality trait, or by encouraging the other positive traits to create a healthy body image.
This particular study that was done involved women looking at pictures of other women ranging in sizes and selecting the one that most closely resembled their figure (Swami et al.). This method allowed the researchers to get an idea of what a woman thinks her body looks like ( Swami et al.). Then, the researchers compared this data to the information gathered by administering the Big Five personality analysis, and were able to draw conclusions ( Swami et al.). In this study, it was found that with looking at only the Big Five traits, when women had a lower score in extraversion, there was a higher discrepancy between real weight and ideal body weight. In cases of low scores of neuroticism, and high extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, women typically had higher scores in body appreciation.
This was an interesting study because women with body image issues, that could possibly lead to dangeorus eating disorders, might be able to be helped by acknowledging the neuroticism personality trait, or by encouraging the other positive traits to create a healthy body image.