We know according to the Body-Specificity Hypothesis that the form of the body influences thinking and perception (Casasanto, 2014). And, we know from the Body Conceptualization Theory that the body experiences of men and women differ from one another (Franzoi, 1995; Brennan, Lalonde, & Bain, 2010; see my blog-lecture: Are You the Rock or the River?). And, we also know from a large amount of research conducted over many decades that there are small, but measurable body image differences among ethnic-cultural groups[1] (Altabe, 1998; Anderson & Skemp, 2012; Erickson & Gerstle, 2007; Miller et al., 2000). And, we know that the majority of humans experience a basic degree of bodily unhappiness known as normative discontent (Rodin, Silberstein & Striegel-Moore, 1984; Tantleff-Dunn, Barnes, & Larose, 2011) with women being historically more dissatisfied than men women (Fallon et al., 2014; Fiske et al., 2014).
So what does this mean? It means that embodied consciousness varies from person to person depending on the body’s form, weight, appearance, size, gender, sexual orientation, and color.
Strong evidence supporting this contention comes from a recent study that evaluated the relationship between ethnicity-cultural type and body shape concerns among 2,212 adults in the U.S. Data were obtained via a national online survey panel reflecting US census data (Olson et al., 2020). The subject pool was:
- 65 percent White
- 13 percent Black/African American
- 16 percent Latino/Hispanic/Mexican-American
- 6 percent Asian/Pacific Islander
- 50 percent male; 50 percent female
- mean age of 44.2 years
- average BMI of 27.4
The researchers defined body shape concern as component of negative body image composed of negative thoughts, feelings of unattractiveness, and emotional distress. Body shape concern is hypothesized to be a more stable psychological variable and one that relates more strongly to biopsychosocial health behaviors such as smoking, weight bias, mood fluctuation, insomnia, poor diet, and less enjoyment of exercise and far more so than the more widely-researched concept of body dissatisfaction.
The study’s results found more similarities than differences in body shape concerns meaning that concerns are prevalent across all ethnic-cultural groupings with some minor differences. Whites scored significantly higher in their shape concerns compared to Asians or Pacific Islanders. It also found that the relationship between BMI and body shape concerns differs between men and women. Women’s body image distress gradually rises in relation to BMI increases while men do not seem to react until their BMI reaches 30 or greater. BMI appeared to be a strong factor mediating body shape concerns. The researchers conclude that individuals of different racial/ethnic minorities are just as likely as their White counterparts to have body shape concerns as their BMI levels increase. Some uncontrolled, but influential factors affecting these results may be differences in sub-cultural values governing what is bodily attractive, the dynamics of social rejection of overweight bodies, and internalized bias against being overweight.
Closing Thoughts
The results of this study show body shape concerns are homogenous across the country with minor differences between certain groups. It definitely, and yet once again, confirms the reality of widespread body unhappiness. It also confirmed the historical finding that women experience higher levels of body image distress than do men.
Second, while we are establishing broad patterns of somatic experiences, the next stage will be charting the nuances in those experiences.
What is important here, at least to me, is that science is slowly and quietly building a trove of research investigating similarities and differences in body experience and somatic identity. In our culture at present the idea that social forces determine identity, but this is merely warmed over Behaviorism. Biology is a far more powerful factor, but people don’t like that concept for various social and political reasons. Yet, there is no denying or escaping it. Biology almost always wins.
Paul Shane, Ph.D., LMT
Director, Academic Content
References
Altabe, M. (1998). Ethnicity and body image: Quantitative and qualitative analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders 23, p. 153-159.
Anderson, D. & Skemp, K. (2012). Self-image differences as related to body image of students in a middle school. American Journal of Health Behaviors 36(4), p. 533-541.
Brennan, M., Lalonde, C., & Bain, J. (2010). Body image perceptions: Do gender differences exist? Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research 215(3), 130-138.
Casasanto, D. (2014). Bodily relativity. In D. Shapiro (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Embodied Cognition, Abingdon, UK: Routledge, pp. 108-117.
Erickson, S. & Gerstle, M. (2007). Investigation of ethnic differences in body image between Hispanic/biethnic-Hispanic and non-Hispanic White preadolescent girls. Body Image 4, p. 69-78.
Fallon, E., Harris, B., & Johnson, P. (2014). Prevalence of body dissatisfaction among a United States adult sample. Eating Behaviors 15(1), p. 151–158.
Fiske, L., Fallon, E., Blissmer, B., & Redding, C. (2014). Prevalence of body dissatisfaction among United States adults: Review and recommendations for future research. Eating Behaviors 15(3), p. 357–365.
Franzoi, S. (1995). The body-as-object versus the body-as-process: Gender differences and gender considerations. Sex Roles 33(5/6), p. 417-437.
Miller, K., Gleaves, D., Hirsch, T., Green, B., Snow, A., & Corbett, C. (2000). Comparisons of body image dimensions by race-ethnicity and gender in a university population. International Journal of Eating Disorders 27, 310-316.
Olson, K., Lillis, J., Panza, E., Wing, R., Quinn, D., & Puhl, R. (2020). Body shape concerns across racial and ethnic groups among adults in the United States: More similarities than differences. Body Image 35, p. 108-113.
Rodin, J., Silberstein, L., & Striegel-Moore, R. (1984). Women and weight: A normative discontent. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation 32, p. 267–307.
Tantleff-Dunn, S., Barnes, R., & Larose, J. (2012). It’s not just a “woman thing:” The current status of normative discontent. Eating Disorders 19(5), p. 392-402.
[1] This phenomenon is discussed at length in my Principles of Somatic Psychology (Shane, 2023) and my Body Image for Bodyworkers (forthcoming).