Body region dissatisfaction predicts attention to body regions on other women

• Women viewed images of idealized (i.e., very thin and attractive) and plus-size models while their eye movements were tracked with an eye-tracker.
• Viewing patterns revealed less attention to body regions of greater personal concern, and greater attention to regions of less personal concern.
• Consistent with research in other areas, results are consistent with an avoidance-type anxiety response.
• Viewing patterns may help preserve self-esteem by not engaging in “upward” comparisons with idealized others.
• However, viewing patterns may preclude “downward” comparisons with non-idealized others that may help increase self-esteem.

The proliferation of “idealized” (i.e., very thin and attractive) women in the media has contributed to increasing rates of body dissatisfaction among women. However, it remains relatively unknown how women attend to these images: does dissatisfaction predict greater or lesser attention to these body regions on others? Fifty healthy women (mean age = 21.8 years) viewed images of idealized and plus-size models; an eye-tracker recorded visual attention. Participants also completed measures of satisfaction for specific body regions, which were then used as predictors of visual attention to these regions on models. Consistent with an avoidance-type process, lower levels of satisfaction with the two regions of greatest reported concern (mid, lower torso) predicted less attention to these regions; greater satisfaction predicted more attention to these regions. While this visual attention bias may aid in preserving self-esteem when viewing idealized others, it may preclude the opportunity for comparisons that could improve self-esteem.