What is the nature of body image distortion in men and how do we begin to alleviate the symptoms?

Abstract

This thesis explores body image distortion in healthy men using newly developed anthropometrically accurate stimuli in conjunction with psychophysical and behavioural techniques. Study 1 followed men’s body image related health and wellbeing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings showed that that poor body image outcomes were associated with isolation, disruption to routine, and low mood. There was also a biological effect of age on muscularity related body image. Studies 2 and 3 created new body measurement tools to capture men’s self-estimates of current and ideal body size. These studies identified evidence of a perceptual contraction bias effect that in study 2 was modulated by independent effects of participants’ actual BMI and psychological concerns. Likewise, in both studies, ideal size estimations highlighted a general shift from current body size to selections of an ideal body representing a higher muscle lower fat content that is consistent with the promoted sociocultural ideal. In study 2, variability in ideal size selections were independently influenced by (i) attitudes towards body fat, and (ii) muscularity internalisation. Conversely, study 3 did not identify any psychological effects on ideal outcomes. Studies 4 and 5 tested the feasibility of an adaptation-based training paradigm to independently modify body fat and muscle perceptions. Both training programs succeeded in modifying the perceptual boundary of large vs small judgements. Study 4 indicates that the training may also have alleviating effects on attitudes regarding participants’ own body fat concerns. Study 5 instead indicated that perceptual self-estimates of participants’ own muscularity were potentially affected by training. Overall, this thesis offers novel insight into men’s experience of body image distortion in terms of independent contributions of muscularity and body fat and provides the fundamental first steps towards treating the opposing clinical outcomes of their body concerns.

Date of Award	27 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Katri Cornelissen (Supervisor), Piers Cornelissen (Supervisor) & Martin Tovee (Supervisor)