THE RELATIONSHIP OF PERSONALITY-FACTORS AND PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY TO BODY SATISFACTION IN MEN

Some have suggested that the recent increase in cultural attention to the male body has resulted in men experiencing more body dissatisfaction and more concern with their physical appearance than in past decades. Presently, the very muscular mesomorph represents the standard of male physical attractiveness although it is a somatotype that most can achieve only by assiduous and strenuous exercise. Unfortunately, little research has considered the relationship between personality factors and body dissatisfaction in men despite the fact that a substantial and positive relationship has been found between neuroticism and body dissatisfaction in women. The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate psychological and behavioural correlates of male body dissatisfaction using the data from two independent samples of men, a group of university undergraduate students and a group of regularly exercising men. Similar to women, it was found that neuroticism was a significant predictorof body dissatisfaction in both groups, however, it accounted for a substantially greater proportion of the variance (17%) among exercising men. An explanation may be that exercisers have a greater degree of body focus and appearance concerns, and therefore, emotionally reactive men within this group are more critical of the degree to which their current body image deviates from their ideal body image. Results also indicated that physical activity participation and body dissatisfaction are negatively related although it is not clear whether exercise promotes body satisfaction, or whether men who are satisfied with their appearance are likely to be more physically active. © 1991.