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The Effects of Media and Peers on Negative Body Images of Chinese College Students: Multiple Mediating Effects of Appearance Comparison and Internalization of the Thin-Ideal


 Background

Negative body image is a common psychological phenomenon among Chinese college students, which should arouse our attention. Peers and media are important factors that influence personal negative body image. This study explores the mechanism of media and peers on the negative body image of Chinese college students.
Methods

461 college students (173 identifying as male, 234 identifying as female) were investigated by using the Revised Social and Cultural Attitude Questionnaire of Appearance, Appearance Comparison Scale, Peer Impact Scale and Negative Body Image Scale.
Results

The results are as follows: (1) Correlation analysis shows that except media attention is not significantly correlated with negative body images, all other variables are significantly positively correlated; (2) Path analysis shows that the direct effect of media attention on negative body image is not significant, while the direct effect of peer impact is significant, and both of them have indirect effects through the mediate role of appearance comparison and internalization of the thin-ideal. Additionally, appearance comparison and internalization of the thin-ideal act as a chain mediation between negative body image and media attention, peer impact.
Conclusions

The research shows just paying attention to the information of the perfect body in the media will not produce negative body image, but paying attention to the media and peer talks about the body may cause college students to compare appearances and internalize the standards for a good shape, leading to their negative evaluation of themselves.