Linkages between Attitudes toward Gender Roles, Body Satisfaction, Self‐Esteem, and Appearance Management Behaviors in Women

The purpose of this research was to examine possible linkages between attitudes toward gender roles, body satisfaction, self‐esteem, and appearance management behaviors. Results of a survey of 194 undergraduate women indicated that women holding nontraditional attitudes toward gender roles had higher self‐esteem (p < .01), but not body satisfaction, than women holding traditional attitudes toward gender roles. A post hoc analysis indicated that body satisfaction and a nontraditional attitude toward gender roles predicted high levels of self‐esteem (p < .0001 and p < .01, respectively), whereas the likelihood of using painful appearance management procedures predicted low levels of self‐esteem (p < .05). Suggestions are offered for adult education andfor socially responsible marketing practices for appearance‐related products.