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For decades now, scholars have called attention to the possible consequences of adolescents' immersion in an appearance culture that glorifies and reinforces physical attractiveness. This concern for adolescents' development is partly triggered by mass and social media's idealization of multiple aspects of life by presenting them in a reinforcing and rewarding setting. Not surprisingly, then, prior research has often used the claim that rewards might instigate certain media effects. Despite scholars' extensive effort to study the association between the appearance culture and adolescents' body image investment, however, our understanding of how the idealization of physical attractiveness fits into this association remains limited. Therefore, the current dissertation studies, for the first time, whether the reward value of appearance ideals might serve as the leitmotif of adolescents' investment in appearance ideals. In addition, a review of the literature points at adolescents' active investment in their appearance as another issue that remains understudied. Following the lacunas in the literature, the current dissertation aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the association between sociocultural factors and youth's (behavioral) body image investment. In doing so, we found that the literature reveals multiple theoretical perspectives but a lack of overarching theoretical principles to explain all the observed effects. In an attempt to integrate the multiple theoretical perspectives that exist in body image literature, we searched for transferrable constructs. This search culminated in an innovative perspective that (1) includes the reward value of appearance ideals as a trigger of the cognitive acceptance and integration of ideals into adolescents' self-concept and (2) considers both cognitive and behavioral aspects of body image investment. In addition, the current dissertation aims to take into account the multidimensionality of contemporary appearance ideals that are embedded in a sexualizing culture that adolescents can become invested in. To address these research aims, two studies were conducted. First, preadolescent girls and boys (aged 9 to 14 years) filled out paper-and-pencil questionnaires at three different time points. This design allowed us to conduct cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Second, a multi-method study was conducted whereby adolescents (aged 12 to 18 years) filled out a paper-and-pencil questionnaire and their Facebook profile pictures were content-analyzed. This design allowed us to conduct cross-sectional analyses and provided a more objective measure of behavioral body image investment. The main conclusion that can be drawn from the current dissertation's findings is that sociocultural factors influence (appearance) behavior if individuals have cognitively accepted and internalized the learned appearance ideals into their self-image. It is this internal influence (personal attitudes and values towards appearance) that affects behavior. Importantly, this cognitive processing of appearance information and incorporation of appearance ideals into adolescents' body image - not behavior - was found to be triggered by their perception of attractiveness as rewarded. As such, the contribution of the current dissertation lies in revealing an internalized socialization process; adolescents first become aware of the prevailing appearance standards in society through the interactions within the appearance culture (i.e., socialization). Next, their socialization into the prevailing appearance norms is cognitively accepted and internalized as an aspect of their self-image which, in turn, affects their behavioral body image investment. A second conclusion refers to the multidimensionality of contemporary appearance ideals. Specifically, the literature indicates that appearance ideals in contemporary society are not only focused on body composition (thinness/muscularity) but consist of multiple features that are increasingly centered around sexual attractiveness. The findings of the current dissertation are in line with this reasoning. Specifically, we found that although body composition remains an important aspect of the ideal appearance, exercising for a good physique was accompanied with hair styling and wearing short (girls) and tight (boys) clothing as most prevalent appearance behaviors among adolescents. As such, we conclude adolescents' active (i.e., behavioral) participation in a sexualizing culture by engaging in behaviors to comply with sexualizing appearance ideals. Lastly, the findings demonstrate that adolescents' investment - both cognitively and behaviorally - in their body image most likely stems from peer rather than mediated encounters with the multidimensional and sexualized ideal. Furthermore, the findings also point at the interrelatedness of peers and media, thereby corroborating prior claims that peer interactions are a particularly strong source of information by providing self-relevant information, but that media exposure might fuel what is discussed among peers. Specifically, if having a sexualized appearance is approved of and rewarded by peers, adolescents will be more likely to internalize these standards and engage in behaviors to approximate the sexualized ideal. Therefore, it is concluded that exposure to appearance ideals in media can influence adolescents, once they learn how peers appraise the ideal. status: published |
