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The effects of exposure to muscular male models amongst men who use the gym and non-exercisers: the moderating role of exercising to increase muscle strength

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 17:55 authored by Emma Halliwell, Helga Dittmar, Amber Orsborn
This study examines the effects of exposure to the muscular male body ideal on body-focused negative affect among male gym users and non-exercisers. As hypothesized, the impact of media exposure depended on men's exercise status. Non-exercisers (n = 58) reported greater body-focused negative affect after exposure to images of muscular male models than after neutral images (no model controls), whereas gym users (n = 58) showed a tendency for less body-focused negative affect after the model images than after the control images. Furthermore, the extent to which gym users were motivated to increase strength and muscularity moderated these exposure effects; men who reported stronger strength and muscularity exercise motivation reported a greater degree of self-enhancement after exposure to the muscular ideal. The findings are interpreted with respect to likely differences in motives for social comparisons.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Body Image

ISSN

1740-1445

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

3

Volume

4

Page range

278-287

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Notes

Co-author

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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    University of Sussex (Publications)

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