TY - JOUR
T1 - View-dependent accuracy in body mass judgements of female bodies
AU - Cornelissen, Piers L.
AU - Cornelissen, Katri K.
AU - Groves, Victoria
AU - McCarty, Kristofor
AU - Tovée, Martin J.
PY - 2018/3/1
Y1 - 2018/3/1
N2 - A fundamental issue in testing body image perception is how to present the test stimuli. Previous studies have almost exclusively used images of bodies viewed in front-view, but this potentially obscures key visual cues used to judge adiposity reducing the ability to make accurate judgements. A potential solution is to use a three-quarter view, which combines visual cues to body fat that can be observed in front and profile. To test this hypothesis, 20 female observers completed a 2-alternative forced choice paradigm to determine the smallest difference in body fat detectable in female bodies in front, three-quarter, and profile view. There was a significant advantage for three-quarter and profile relative to front-view. Discrimination accuracy is predicted by the saliency of stomach depth, suggesting that this is a key visual cue used to judge body mass. In future, bodies should ideally be presented in three-quarter to accurately assess body size discrimination.
AB - A fundamental issue in testing body image perception is how to present the test stimuli. Previous studies have almost exclusively used images of bodies viewed in front-view, but this potentially obscures key visual cues used to judge adiposity reducing the ability to make accurate judgements. A potential solution is to use a three-quarter view, which combines visual cues to body fat that can be observed in front and profile. To test this hypothesis, 20 female observers completed a 2-alternative forced choice paradigm to determine the smallest difference in body fat detectable in female bodies in front, three-quarter, and profile view. There was a significant advantage for three-quarter and profile relative to front-view. Discrimination accuracy is predicted by the saliency of stomach depth, suggesting that this is a key visual cue used to judge body mass. In future, bodies should ideally be presented in three-quarter to accurately assess body size discrimination.
KW - BMI
KW - body fat
KW - body judgements
KW - figural body scales
U2 - 10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.12.007
DO - 10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.12.007
M3 - Article
VL - 24
SP - 116
EP - 123
JO - Body Image
JF - Body Image
SN - 1740-1445
ER -