ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B
主办:中国心理学会
   中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

心理学报 ›› 2024, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (10): 1367-1383.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.01367

• 研究报告 • 上一篇    下一篇

超越瘦身迷思: “以瘦为美”的社会规范对青年群体积极身体意象与热量摄入的影响

汤美慧1, 田姝菀1, 谢天2()   

  1. 1武汉大学哲学学院, 武汉 430072
    2武汉大学新闻与传播学院, 武汉 430072
  • 收稿日期:2022-10-24 发布日期:2024-07-10 出版日期:2024-10-25
  • 通讯作者: 谢天, E-mail: thanksky520@126.com
  • 基金资助:
    教育部人文社会科学重点研究基地重大项目(22JJD860013)

Beyond the myth of slimming: The impact of social norms on positive body image and caloric intake among young adults

TANG Meihui1, TIAN Shuwan1, XIE Tian2()   

  1. 1School of Philosophy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
    2School of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
  • Received:2022-10-24 Online:2024-07-10 Published:2024-10-25

摘要:

在社交媒体的影响下, 许多人认可并遵守“以瘦为美”的社会规范, 即“瘦是理想身材” (“瘦理想”)。一些体重正常的青年也对自己的身体产生错误的认知, 并进行不健康的减肥行为。为探究“瘦理想”社会规范对青年群体的积极身体意象与热量摄入的影响, 该研究进行了1项问卷调查与3项干预实验(N = 612)。 结果发现, 青年群体“瘦理想”社会规范感知越强, 其积极身体意象水平越低, BMI自我差异在该过程中起中介作用(研究1)。基于此, 该研究聚焦社会规范的干预作用, 进一步表明社会规范干预对积极身体意象与热量摄入的积极影响。由于指令性社会规范干预在纠正误解方面的作用有限(研究2), 因此采取效果更强的描述性社会规范干预, 以及加入榜样因素的描述性社会规范干预(研究3), 而后者的干预效果持续时间更长(研究4)。以上发现丰富了“瘦理想”社会规范的影响机制研究, 提出并验证了更有效的社会规范干预方式, 为个人与健康领域商业机构提供了实践建议。

关键词: “瘦理想”社会规范, 积极身体意象, 自我差异, 纠正误解, 榜样

Abstract:

Under the influence of the mass media, many individuals have embraced the “thin-ideal” social norm, wherein people accept and adhere to the behavioral norm that perceives thinness as the ideal body type. This trend has resulted in many young adults compromising their positive body image and adopting unhealthy weight loss practices, such as reducing their caloric intake. Based on the self-discrepancy theory, this paper proposes that the thin-ideal social norm will strengthen the thin-ideal self-concept, which will amplify any existing discrepancy between the ideal self and the actual self, ultimately diminishing the individual’s positive body image. In that light, the present research explored the effects of social norm interventions on improving young adults’ positive body image and increasing their caloric intake. The findings suggest that interventions that address misconceptions, particularly when combined with role models, yield more favorable outcomes than interventions that focus solely on correcting misunderstandings within the social norm framework do.

The present research comprised one questionnaire study and three intervention studies, involving 612 participants. Study 1 examined the mediating role of body mass index (BMI) self-discrepancy in the relationship between the thin-ideal social norm and a positive body image. Two hundred eleven participants (113 females, aged 22.31 ± 2.10 years) completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions of the social norms, their BMI self-discrepancy, and their positive body image. Studies 2~4 were dedicated to practical interventions. In Study 2, 117 participants (79 females, aged 22.56 ± 2.28 years) received either interventions that addressed misinformation about social norms, or no information. The participants reported their positive body image at the beginning and end of the study, along with their caloric intake over 4 days. Study 3 involved 155 participants (111 females, aged 22.06 ± 2.13 years) who were randomly assigned to one of three interventions: correcting misunderstandings alone, combining that intervention with role models, or no intervention. As was the case with Study 2, the participants reported their positive body image and caloric intake over 4 days. In Study 4, 147 participants (89 females, aged 22.57 ± 2.10 years) were randomly assigned to one of three interventions that were similar to those in Study 3 but spanned 10 days. Those participants reported their body image at two time points and their caloric intake at five time points.

Study 1 revealed that self-discrepancy partially mediated the relationship between the social norms of the thin ideal and body image. Specifically, both the thin-ideal descriptive and injunctive social norms could reduce body image by increasing the self-discrepancy between ideal BMI and real BMI. Building upon Study 1, Study 2 revealed that the instructive social norm intervention demonstrated a positive impact on caloric intake, compared with no intervention, but not on positive body image, and its effectiveness was limited to correcting misunderstandings. Motivated by the insights from Study 2, Studies 3 and 4 advanced the research by adopting more robust descriptive social norm interventions and also employing descriptive social norm interventions that incorporated role models. Study 3 showed that both interventions had better effects on positive body image and caloric intake than no intervention did. In Study 4, among groups adhering to restrictive diets, the application of the norm-based intervention did not yield a significant improvement in positive body image. However, the findings suggest that the descriptive social norm interventions which incorporated role models exhibited not only a better impact but also a more sustained and prolonged duration of intervention effectiveness on caloric intake.

This research contributes valuable insights into thin-ideal social norms. It suggests a more effective intervention strategy that provides practical recommendations which are applicable to individuals, role models, and commercial organizations.

Key words: “thin-ideal” social norm, positive body image, self-discrepancy, correcting misperception, role model

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