The Influence Of Media On Chinese Males’ Body Dissatisfaction

Body dissatisfaction, also known as body image disturbances, was defined as negative cognition and feelings about their bodies as well as relevant behavior. It is also called negative physical self in China(Chen,2006). Previous research showed that body dissatisfaction were usually associated with psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, and dangerous behaviors such as compulsive exercise, disordered eating, and use of steroids and supplements(Larson, Neumark-Sztainer, & Story,2009;Dodge & Jaccard,2006;Valls, Bonvin, & Chabrol, 2013). So it is important to explore the influence factors and forming mechanism of body dissatisfaction.Research has proved the effects of mass media on western women(Ata, Thompson, & Small,2013; Bell & Dittmar,2011; Halliwell,2013; Hausenblas et al., 2013; Riihl, Legenbauer, & Hiller,2011; Smeets, Jansen, Vossen, Ruf, & Roefs,2010). Recently, a substantial body of research has demonstrated that men in western culture also reported higher muscle dissatisfaction and body dissatisfaction and drive for muscular after viewing muscular models in mass media such as magazine, TV advertisements, music MV and video games(Cho & Lee,2013; Hargreaves & Tiggemann,2009; Hobza & Rochlen,2009; Mulgrew & Volcevski-Kostas,2012; Sylvia, King, & Morse,2014). Similar research on females in China showed the same results with western women(Yang, & Chen,2006; Yang, Chen, Gao, & Chen,2010). Although there has not research about influence of mass media on Chinese men, some research found that social pressure including family, peers and mass media is an important factor of body dissatisfaction among Chinese young men(Chen, Gao, & Jackson,2007; Chen & Jackson,2009; Jackson & Chen,2008). And there is evidence to suggest that media pressure predicted body change behaviors significantly(Xu et al., 2010).Based on the sociocultural theory, researchers built the tripartite influence model to explain how body dissatisfaction developed. According to tripartite influence model, family, peers and mass media are the three initial impact source on body dissatisfaction, and internalization and appearance comparison play an important role on body dissatisfaction. Socioculture provides a ideal body and people will internalize this ideal body and compare their own bodies to this ideal, which will lead to body image disturbance such as body dissatisfaction, muscle dissatisfaction and so on. Present research indicates that male body dissatisfaction in China is on the rise. And this very research were aimed to evaluate the influence of mass media on body dissatisfaction of Chinese males and the role of internalization and appearance comparison. Moreover, role of sociocultural norms for appearance will also be discussed in our study.Study 1 was designed to examine the relationship between media pressure and body dissatisfaction and muscle dissatisfaction as well as the role of internalization and appearance comparison.Participants were 316 Chinese males between ages 18 and 27. They completed validated measures that assessed body dissatisfaction, muscle dissatisfaction, internalization of muscular ideals and appearance comparison. The findings showed that both internalization of muscular ideals and appearance comparison mediated the relationship between media pressure and muscle dissatisfaction. However, internalization of muscular ideals were independent predictor of body dissatisfaction, and the mediated effect of appearance comparison between media pressure and body dissatisfaction was not significant. In study 2, Trait muscle dissatisfaction, general body dissatisfaction and muscular-ideal internalization were measured in 57 male participants two weeks before viewing images of muscular or average male models in the laboratory. Men randomized to the experimental group viewed images of muscular male models, whereas those randomized to the control group viewed images of average male models. State muscle dissatisfaction and general body dissatisfaction were assessed immediately after viewing male models. Results of study 2 indicated that males viewing muscular male models reported higher levels of muscle dissatisfaction and general body dissatisfaction than those who viewed the average male models. Men with higher internalization reported greater body dissatisfaction after viewing male models regardless of type. In Study 3,84 participants were randomly assigned to three groups. They viewed the same type of pictures (images of muscular male models), yet different groups received different information before they did that. Specifically, one group received norm-challenging information, another group received norm-confirming information, and the third group didn’t receive appearance-related information as control group. Results of study 3 demonstrated that muscle dissatisfaction and general body dissatisfaction of participants who received norm-challenging information are significantly lower than those who received norm-confirming information or no appearance-related information.The findings show that Promotion of muscular male models in the mass media could increase muscle dissatisfaction and general body dissatisfaction of males and men with higher muscular-ideal internalization and appearance comparison would be more vulnerable to the influence of media. The experimental manipulation of sociocultural norms could change the level of body dissatisfaction. These findings indicate that challenging the sociocultural norms for appearance can decrease body dissatisfaction among males to some extent.