effects of the ideal of female beauty on mood and body satisfaction

Objective: The present study examined changes in women's mood states resulting from their viewing pictures in fashion magazines of models who represent a thin ideal. Method: Female university students completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale (BPSS), and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). They were then exposed to 20 slides; the experimental group (N = 51) viewed images of female fashion models and a control group (N = 67) viewed slides containing no human figures. All subjects then completed the POMS and the BPSS again. Results: Women were more depressed (R2 = 0.745, p < .05) and more angry (R2 = 0.73, p < .01) following exposure to slides of female fashion models. Discussion: Viewing images of female fashion models had an immediate negative effect on women's mood. This study, therefore, supports the hypothesis that media images do play a role in disordered eating.