Abstract

ZUVIRIE HERNANDEZ, Rosa Margarita  and  RODRIGUEZ ORTIZ, María Dolores. Psychophysiological reaction to exposure of thin women images in college students. Rev. Mex. de trastor. aliment [online]. 2011, vol.2, n.1, pp.33-41. ISSN 2007-1523.

Social standards of beauty profitness model is leading some young women to worry, especially those that are more susceptible to these models. The thin ideal internalization is a risk factor in development of body image concern. Therefore it was important to conduct a study that contemplate thoughts through body image and psychophysiological reaction to images of thin women. Psychophysiological assessment was conducted with 40 women between 19 and 25 age college students. The sample was divided in two groups: the group with negative thoughts toward body image and group with positive thoughts. We used a exploratory design. The statistical analysis found non statistically significant differences in the psychophysiological reaction to images of thin women in the group with positive and negative thoughts toward body image. These results indicate that exposure to these images does not cause variations in the psychophysiological reaction of women, because they have no significant body dissatisfaction, indicating the need to employ better methods to assess body image.

Keywords : Body Image; Thoughts; Thinness; Psychophysiological Assessment.