Doeschka Anschutz

d.anschutz@pwo.ru.nl

Title project:
‘Sex and the City’: The Effects of Thin Media Images on Body Image and Food Intake

Abstract:
The aim of the project is the examine the effects of exposure to thin media images on mood, body-image and food intake of normal weight adolescent females, in function of their dietary restraint and tendency to overeat. We have a set of research questions: Does exposure to thin body images indeed result in overeating and changes in mood and body image? Does this occur in function of the subjects’ degree of dietary restraint or rather in function of the subjects’ tendency toward overeating? Do changes in mood and body image support the negative contrast or rather the inspiration hypothesis? Finally, what is the moderating role of thinness attainability beliefs in this? We will test our hypotheses in a series of experiments among adolescent females, which are to be conducted in a naturalistic setting, namely a television room with comfortable couches and a relaxing atmosphere.