Media\u27s Influence on the Drive for Muscularity in Undergraduates

Although research has found that body ideals presented by the media influence women\u27s body dissatisfaction, less is known about media\u27s influence on men\u27s body satisfaction. An online survey examining media use, the drive for muscularity, and internalization of appearance and body shape ideals was given to a sample of 311 participants comprised of both men and women. Results indicated (a) the more time men and women reported watching television, the higher their reported drive for muscularity (b) total hours of viewing sports-related, image-focused, and entertainment television related to increased drive for muscularity in women (c) drive for muscularity in men related to watching image-focused television and reading men\u27s health magazines, and (d) internalization of athletic attitudes towards appearance mediated the relationship between total television watched and drive for muscularity in both genders. Clinicians may wish to utilize these findings when treating men and women suffering from drive for muscularity and body dysmorphia

Media Influence on Drive for Thinness and Drive for Muscularity

The present study investigated relationships between media influence (exposure, self-comparison to media ideals and internalization of media messages, societal pressure to have the perfect body, using media as a source of information about how to achieve a certain body ideal) and drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in 311 male and female undergraduates at a university in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. We hypothesized that drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in both women and men would relate to body comparison/internalization, societal pressure, use of media for information, magazine consumption and television viewing. We also expected television and magazines would have different influences on men and women’s drive for muscularity and drive for thinness. Finally, we hypothesized that societal pressure and using media as a source of information would mediate the relation between media exposure (number of magazines read, hours of television watched) and drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in women and men. Students completed surveys on-line. Results revealed using media as a source of information on how to attain the ideal body mediates the relationship between drive for thinness and media exposure in women. Overall, it seems that media and the internalization of general/non-athletic body ideals may have an impact on drive for thinness in both men and women. Similarly, internalization of athletic body ideals may relate to drive for muscularity in both collegiate men and women in the U.S. Implications for counselors were discussed

The Functions of Self-Esteem Enhancement and Close Relationships in Terror Management Theory

My proposed project will assess the relationship between self-esteem enhancement and the need for close relationships when mortality is made salient. According to present terror management theory literature, if self-esteem is enhanced, the need for close relationships will be less prevalent when mortality is made salient. However, if self-esteem is not enhanced, close relationships will act as a buffer for death anxiety. Thus, our research seeks to clarify and affirm the role of close relationships as a buffer for death-anxiety and investigate how self-esteem and close relationships interact to abate death-anxiety when mortality is made salient. As our project is not yet complete, we have received IRB approval and began data collection at the beginning of November. In order to test my hypothesis, I plan to conduct a 2x2 ANOVA with relationship commitment as the dependent variable. A survey has been created in which participants are randomly assigned to 1 of 4 test conditions. The first pool of participants will have their self-esteem enhanced, mortality made salient, and their relationship commitment measured. The second pool will have the self-esteem enhanced, mortality will not be made salient, and their relationship commitment will be measured. The third pool of pariticpants will have negative self-enhacment, mortality will be made salient, and their relationship commitment will be measured. The final gourp of particpants will have negative self-enhancement, mortality will not be made salient, and their relationship commitment will be measured. I hypothesize that participants in the mortality salience condition will report higher level of relationship commitment than participants in the non-mortality salience condition regardless of having the self-esteem positively or negatively enhanced. Showing that relationships act as the primary manager of terror. This study will further the literature discussing mechanisms of terror management and provide insight into people’s motivations to create and sustain close relationships