- "Body image is a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body."
The perception and attitudes individuals have towards their bodies in relation to societal beauty standards.
Definition of Body Image: Understanding the concept of body image, how it is perceived, and how it affects individuals.
Gendered Body Image: Exploring the different perceptions of body image for men and women, and how gendered expectations play a role in shaping body image.
Beauty Standards: Discussing the beauty standards set by society, culture, media, and comparing them to the realistic expectations of how a person’s body should look.
Eating Disorders: Examining the various eating disorders, their causes and effects, and their effects on body image.
Physical Attractiveness: Discussing the impact of physical attractiveness and how it can shape body image.
Stereotypes: Identifying and addressing stereotypes related to body image and gender.
Self-esteem and Self-Confidence: Understanding how self-esteem and self-confidence relate to body image, how they impact our body image, and how to build a positive self-image.
Body Positivity: Exploring a positive attitude towards body image and learning to accept and love one's body.
Personal Identity and Acceptance: Discussing the role of personal identity in shaping body image and the importance of acceptance and authenticity in cultivating a positive self-image.
Media Influence: Exploring the impact of media on body image, examining media representation of gender, and identifying ways to counter those negative tendencies.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD): A mental disorder that involves obsessive thoughts and behaviors related to perceived flaws in one’s appearance.
The Negative body image: Feeling dissatisfied, disappointed or ashamed of one’s physical appearance.
The Positive body image: Feeling content, confident and satisfied with one’s physical appearance.
The Gender Dysphoria: The feeling of being uncomfortable in one’s gender-related physical features, which can be seen in transgender people.
The Social media body image: The impact of social media on how people perceive their bodies, which may lead to unrealistic or unhealthy standards.
The Idealized body image: A body image that meets societal expectations or ideals, often perpetuated by media and cultural norms.
The Athletic body image: The body image related to athleticism and fitness, which can lead to a focus on physical appearance and body shape rather than overall health.
The Cultural body image: A body image influenced by a culture's beliefs and values, which can result in an emphasis on certain physical features or ideals.
The Environmental body image: A body image influenced by environmental factors, such as living in a polluted area or experiencing climate change, that impact how one perceives their physical health and appearance.
The Medical body image: The body image influenced by medical conditions, illnesses or disabilities that can impact how one perceives their body.
The Sexual body image: The body image related to sexuality, which can be influenced by sexual experiences, preferences, and expectations.
- "The concept of body image is used in a number of disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, medicine, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, philosophy, cultural and feminist studies."
- "Across these disciplines, there is no single consensus definition."
- "Body image consists of the ways people view themselves; their memories, experiences, assumptions, and comparisons about their own appearances; and their overall attitudes towards their own respective heights, shapes, and weights—all of which are shaped by prevalent social and cultural ideals."
- "Body image can be negative ('body negativity') or positive ('body positivity')."
- "In a time where social media holds a very important place and is used frequently in our daily lives, people of different ages are affected emotionally and mentally by the appearance and body size/shape ideals set by the society they live in."
- "These standards created and changed by society created a world filled with body shaming; the act of humiliating an individual by mocking or making critical comments about a person's physiological appearance."
- "Such behavior creates body dissatisfaction and higher risks of eating disorders, isolation, and mental illnesses in the long term."
- "In eating disorders, a negative body image may also lead to body image disturbance, an altered perception of the whole one's body."
- "Body dissatisfaction also characterizes body dysmorphic disorder, an obsessive-compulsive disorder defined by concerns about some specific aspect of one's body which is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix."
- "Often, people who have a low body image will try to alter their bodies in some way, such as by dieting or by undergoing cosmetic surgery."
- "Many factors contribute to a person's body image, including family dynamics, mental illness, biological predispositions and environmental causes for obesity or malnutrition, and cultural expectations (e.g., media and politics)."
- "People who are either underweight or overweight can have poor body image."
- "those who are normal or overweight on the BMI scale have higher risks of poor body image."
- "A 2007 report by the American Psychological Association found that a culture-wide sexualization of girls and women was contributing to increased female anxiety associated with body image."
- "An Australian government Senate Standing Committee report on the sexualization of children in the media reported similar findings associated with body image."
- "However, other scholars have expressed concern that these claims are not based on solid data."
- "All of which are shaped by prevalent social and cultural ideals."
- "A person with a negative body image may feel self-conscious or ashamed, and may feel that others are more attractive."
- "On the other hand, positive body image consists of perceiving one's figure clearly and correctly, celebrating and appreciating one's body, and understanding that one's appearance does not reflect one's character or worth."