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...ranging from very thin (1) to very obese (9). First- and fifth-grade boys and girls from these three countries were asked to select their most preferred male and female figures and their least preferred male and female figures. Overall, even the youngest children preferred thin, although not very thin, male and female figures and least preferred the very obese figures. However, cross-cultural differences were found. For example, heavier female figures were chosen by children in the Middle East. In addition, whereas American children viewed the very obese figures as their least preferred, Chinese children did not. Anecdotal evidence provided by Chinese children revealed that they thought that the extremely obese figures sim ply did not exist. These results suggest that the establishment of preferred body shapes begins in early childhood, although cultural differences may affect these preferences. Several potential factors are discussed to account for these findings.
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Numerous studies have been conducted on body image as construct, examining one's image or view of one's own body as well as one's views about the ideal body, or body shape preference (e.g., Davies & Furnham, 1986; Phelps, Swift Johnson, Jimenez, Wilczenski, Andrea, & Healy, 1993; Wood, Becker, & Thompson, 1996). As theses studies have shown, many American women have a poor body image, which subsequently may lead to the high prevalence of eating disorders, including obesity, in this country. Of interest in the present research are the factors that may lead one to hold such a faulty or negative perception of oneself. One possible factor is the establishment of body shape preferences as a child that more readily leads one to negative views of one's own body as an adult. Thus, younger (6-year-old) and older (10-year-old) children's body shape preferences were examined by asking children to select their most and least preferred male and female figures, with figures ranging from very thin to very obese. Cross-cul tural factors were also examined, as male and female children's body shape preferences were examined in three countries: the United States, Mainland China and Turkey. Several issues were of interest in this research, including the effects of age of children, gender of participants, and culture on children's views of the ideal, and the least ideal, male and female body shapes in these three countries.
Development and Body Image
Research has repeatedly demonstrated that as children get older, they report more negative body image (e.g., O'Dea & Abraham, 1999; Richards, Boxer, Petersen, & Albrecht, 1990; Tobin-Richards, Boxer, & Petersen, 1983). The majority of research has focused on the influence of pubertal development on body image. Until recently, researchers believed that the onset of puberty was primarily responsible for the increase in negative body image (e.g., Clifford, 1971). This association seemed particularly true for girls, as their bodies were most likely to reflect the onset of puberty (e.g., their hips tend to broaden and they begin to gain weight with puberty). Research has also shown a link between pubertal development and body image (e.g., Ackard & Petersen, 2001; Blyth, Simmons, & Zakin, 1985; de Castro & Goldstein, 1995; Corcos, Flament, Giraud, Paterniti, Ledoux, Atger, & Jeammet, 2000; Plaut & Hutchinson, 1986; Folk, Pedersen, & Cullari, 1993). These studies, however, often found conflicting results regarding t he differences in the reported body image of pre- and postpubescent children. For example, de Castro and Goldstein (1995) discovered that postpubescent girls reported more negative body image when compared to prepubescent girls and boys, while Folk,...
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