When the Body Defines the Self: Self-Concept Clarity, Internalization, and Body Image

Without a clearly defined sense of self, individuals might seek out external sources to provide coherence to their identity. One such external source is society's standards of attractiveness (i.e., thinness for women, muscularity for men). The present research examined the link between self-concept clarity, internalization of societal standards, and body image and dieting concerns. Study 1 (n = 322) showed that lower self-concept clarity predicted a greater degree of internalization of societal standards for women, but not for men. Internalization for women and men predicted body image and dieting concerns, which in turn predicted dieting behavior. Study 2 (n = 175) showed that factors such as conformity and body weight contingency of self-worth mediated the associations that were observed in Study 1. Women's self-concept can play a role in the development of body image problems by making them vulnerable to (or by buffering them against) the internalization of societal standards of attractiveness.