Laci Whipple

This qualitative study examined gender differences in sociocultural pressures related to body image and the psychological mechanisms through which these pressures are experienced among college students. Responses from 1014 undergraduates to an open-ended question about perceived pressure to conform to cultural body ideals were analyzed. Results revealed distinct gender-specific patterns: women’s narratives primarily emphasized media pressure, drive for thinness, and social comparison, while men’s responses more frequently featured internal pressure alongside drive for muscularity and drive for leanness. These findings demonstrate how similar sociocultural pressures operate through different pathways across genders—women more explicitly acknowledged external pressures through direct social comparison, while men more frequently transformed sociocultural pressures into internalized goals framed as personal motivation. This pattern aligns with the theoretical frameworks of Objectification Theory and Self-Determination Theory, and extends the Tripartite Influence Model by illuminating the gendered nature of body image concerns through narrative accounts. Implications for gender-specific clinical approaches to body image disturbance are discussed.

Objective: The present mixed-method study aims to understand the association between sociocultural pressures, disordered eating, and compulsive exercise in men, with body shame as a mediator. Participants: We surveyed 263 U.S. men recruited from a public university in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. The majority were White/Caucasian and heterosexual, ages 18-40. Methods: Participants completed measures assessing compulsive exercise, disordered eating, body shame, sociocultural pressures, and answered one open-ended question about their experiences with body image. Results: The results of our study aligned with our hypothesized mediation model: body shame mediated relationships between sociocultural pressures, disordered eating attitudes, and compulsive exercise. Qualitatively, most of the men in our study expressed having felt pressure to change their bodies. Conclusions: Our study aligns with current research and contributes to the need for future research surrounding eating pathology and the shame that leads to such outcomes in men.