Muscle-mania: The male body ideal in professional wrestling

International Journal of Men's Health

Volumn 5, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 268-286

  Soulliere, Danielle M ^a   Blair, James A ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR   (Canada)

Author keywords

Male body ideal; Media body images; Men's health; Professional wrestling

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; BODY IMAGE; HUMAN; MASCULINITY; MEDICAL RESEARCH; MUSCLE STRENGTH; PATIENT SATISFACTION; PRIORITY JOURNAL; RISK ASSESSMENT; WRESTLING;

EID: 34047093286     PISSN: 15326306     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.3149/jmh.0503.268     Document Type: Article

References (75)

1. Agliata, D., & Tantleff-Dunn, S. (2004). The impact of media exposure on males' body image. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 7-22.
2. Alexander, S. M. (2003). Stylish hard bodies: Branded masculinity in Men's Health magazine. Sociological Perspectives, 46, 535-554.
3. Ashley, F. B., Dollar, J., Wigley, B., Gillentine, J. A., & Daughtrey, C. (2000). Professional wrestling fans: Your next-door neighbors. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 9, 140-148.
4. Baghurst, T., Hollander, D. B., Nardella, B., & Haff, G. G. (2006). Change in sociocultural ideal male physique: An examination of past and present action figures. Body Image, 3, 87-91.
5. Barlett, C., Harris, R., Smith, S., & Bonds-Raacke, J. (2005). Action figures and men. Sex Roles, 53, 877-885.
6. Bernthal, M. J., & Medway, F. J. (2005). An initial exploration into the psychological implications of adolescents' involvement with professional wrestling. School Psychology International, 26, 224-242.
7. Bohne, A., Keuthen, N. J., Wilhem, S., Deckersback, T., & Jenike, M. A. (2002). Prevalence of symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder and its correlates: A cross-cultural perspective. Psychosomatics, 43, 486-490.
8. Botta, R. A. (2003). For your health? The relationship between magazine reading and adolescents' body image and eating disturbances. Sex Roles, 48, 389-399.
9. Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. New York: Routledge.
10. Cafri, G., Thompson, J. K., Ricciardelli, L. A., McCabe, M. P., Smolak, L., & Yesalsi, C. (2005). Pursuit of the muscular ideal: Physical and psychological consequences and putative risk factors. Clinical Psychology Review, 25, 215-239.
11. Cohane, G. H., & Pope, H. G. (2001). Body image in boys: A review of the literature. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 29, 373-379.
12. Dotson, E. W. (1999). Behold the man: The hype and selling of male beauty in media and culture. New York: Haworth Press.
13. Duggan, S. J., & McCreary, D. R. (2004). Body image, eating disorders, and the drive for muscularity in gay and heterosexual men: The influence of media images. Journal of Homosexuality, 47, 45-58.
14. Fouts, G., & Vaughan, K. (2002). Television situation comedies: Male weight, negative references, and audience reactions. Sex Roles, 46, 439-442.
15. Frederick, D. A., Fessler, D. M. T., & Haselton, M. G. (2005). Do representations of male muscularity differ in men's and women's magazines? Body Image, 2, 81-86.
16. Gerbner, G. (1999). Cultivation analysis: An overview. Mass Communication and Society, 3-4, 175-194.
17. Gill, R., Henwood, K., & McLean, C. (2000). The tyranny of the "six-pack"? Understanding men's responses to representations of the male body in popular culture. In C. Squire (Ed.), Culture in psychology (pp. 100-117). New York: Routledge.
18. Grieve, F. G., Newton, C. C., LaVaun, K., Miller, R. C., & Kerr, N. A. (2005). The preferred male body shapes of college men and women. Individual Differences Research, 3, 188-192.
19. Groesz, L. M., Levine, M. P., & Murnen, S. K. (2002). The effect of experimental presentations of thin media images on body satisfaction: A meta-analytic review. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 31, 1-16.
20. Grogan, S., & Richards, H. (2002). Body image: Focus groups with boys and men. Men and Masculinities, 4, 219-232.
21. Hargreaves, D. A., & Tiggemann, M. (2004). Idealized media images and adolescent body image: "Comparing" boys and girls. Body Image, 1, 351-361.
22. Harvey, J. A., & Robinson, J. D. (2003). Eating disorders in men: Current considerations. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 10, 297-306.
23. Hatoum, I. J., & Belle, D. (2004). Mags and abs: Media consumption and bodily concerns among men. Sex Roles, 51, 397-407.
24. Humphreys, P., & Paxton, S. J. (2004). Impact of exposure to idealized male images on adolescent boys' body image. Body Image, 1, 253-266.
25. Irving, L. M., Wall, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Story, M. (2002). Steroid use among adolescents: Findings from Project EAT. Journal of Adolescent Health, 30, 243-252.
26. Jones, D. C., & Crawford, J. K. (2005). Adolescent boys and body image: Weight and muscularity concerns as dual pathways to body dissatisfaction. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 34, 629-636.
27. Kearney-Cooke, A. (2002). Familial influence on body image development. In T. Cash & T. Pruzinsky (Eds.), Body image: A handbook of theory, research, and clinical practice (pp. 99-108). New York: Gilford Press.
28. Kinnunen, T. (1998). Deep inside every man desires the V-body, for the looks: Formations of masculinities in bodybuilding. Ethnologia Fennica, 26, 4-16.
29. Labre, M. P. (2005). The male body ideal: Perspectives of readers and non-readers of fitness magazines. Journal of Men's Health & Gender, 2, 223-229.
30. Labre, M. P. (2002). Adolescent boys and the muscular male body ideal. Journal of Adolescent Health, 30, 233-242.
31. Law, C., & Labre, M. P. (2002). Cultural standards of attractiveness: A thirty year look at changes in male images in magazines. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 79, 697-711.
32. Leit, R. A., Gray, J. J., & Pope, H. G. (2002). The media's representation of the ideal male body: A cause for muscle dysmorphia. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 31, 334-338.
33. Leit, R. A., Pope, H. G., & Gray, J. J. (2001). Cultural expectations of muscularity in men: The evolution of Playgirl centerfolds. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 29, 90-93.
34. Lemish, D. (1998). Girls can wrestle too: Gender differences in the consumption of a television wrestling series. Sex Roles, 38, 833-849.
35. Leon, G. R., Fulkerson, J. A., Perry, C. L., Keel, P. K., & Klump, K. L. (1999). Three to four year prospective evaluation of personality and behavioral risk factors for later disordered eating in adolescent girls and boys. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 28, 181-196.
36. Leone, J. E., Sedory, E. J., & Gray, K. A. (2005). Recognition and treatment of muscle dysmorphia and related body image disorders. Journal of Athletic Training, 40, 352-359.
37. Lin, C. A. (1998). Uses of sex appeals in prime-time television commercials. Sex Roles, 38, 461-475.
38. Lorenzen, L. A., Grieve, F. G., & Thomas, A. (2004). Exposure to muscular male models decreases men's body satisfaction. Sex Roles, 51, 743-748.
39. Maguire, B. (2005). American professional wrestling: Evolution, content, and popular appeal. Sociological Spectrum, 25, 155-176.
40. McCabe, M. P., & Ricciardelli, L. A. (2004). Body image dissatisfaction among males across the lifespan: A review of past literature. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 56, 675-685.
41. McCabe, M. P., & Ricciardelli, L. A. (2004). Weight and shape concerns of boys and men. In J. K. Thompson (Ed.), Handbook of eating disorders and obesity (pp. 606-634). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
42. McCabe, M. P., Ricciardelli, L. A., & Finemore, J. (2002). The role of puberty, media, and popularity with peers on strategies to increase weight, decrease weight, and increase muscle tone among adolescent boys and girls. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 52, 145-154.
43. McCray, J. A. (2005). The effects of exposure to images of the male muscular ideal on body image and muscularity concerns in men. Dissertation, University of North Dakota, USA.
44. McCreary, D. R., & Sassine, D. K. (2000). An exploration of the drive for muscularity in adolescent boys and girls. Journal of American College Health, 48, 297-320.
45. Morris, A. M., & Katzman, D. K. (2003). The impact of the media on eating disorders in children and adolescents. Pediatrics and Child Health, 8. Retrieved August 20, 2004 from http://www.pulsus.com/Paeds/08_05/morr_ed. htm
46. Morrison, T. G., Morrison, M. A., & Hopkins, C. (2003). Striving for bodily perfection? An exploration of the drive for muscularity in Canadian men. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 4, 111-120.
47. Morrison, T. G., Kalin, R., & Morrison, M. A. (2004). Body-image evaluation and body-image investment among adolescents: A test of sociocultural and social comparison theories. Adolescence, 39, 571-592.
48. Morry, M. M., & Staska, S. L. (2001). Magazine exposure: Internalization, self-objectification, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction in male and female university students. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 33, 269-279.
49. Murnen, S. K., Smolak, L., Mills, J. A., & Good, L. (2003). Thin, sexy women and strong, muscular men: Grade-school children's responses to objectified images of women and men. Sex Roles, 49, 427-437.
50. Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Falkner, N. H., Beuhring, T., & Resnik, M. D. (1999). Sociodemographic and personal characteristics of adolescents engaged in weight loss and weight/muscle gain behaviors: Who is doing what? Preventive Medicine, 28, 40-50.
51. Olivardia, R. (2001). Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the largest of them all? The features and phenomenology of muscle dysmorphia. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 9, 254-259.
52. Olivardia, R., Pope, H. G., Borowiecki, J. J., & Cohane, G. H. (2004). Biceps and body image: The relationship between muscularity and self-esteem, depression, and eating disorder symptoms. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 5, 112-120.
53. Palladino, G., & Pritchard, M. E. (2003). Predictors of body image dissatisfaction in adult men and women. Social Behavior and Personality, 31, 215-222.
54. Parents' Television Council. (2001). The seamy squared circle. Retrieved June 22, 2001 at http://www.parentstv.org/publications/reports/sr200010424.html
55. Petrie, T. A., & Rogers, R. (2001). Extending the discussion of eating disorders to include men and athletes. The Counseling Psychologist, 29, 743-753.
56. Plagens, P. (1999). Pinning reality to the mat. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved June 22, 2001 at http://www.jfilm.org/hitman/reviews/ PeterPlagens.html
57. Pope, H. G., Olivardia, R., Gruber, A., & Borowiecki, J. (1999). Evolving ideals of male body image as seen through action toys. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 26, 65-72.
58. Pope, H. G., Phillips, K. A., & Olivardia, R. (2000). The Adonis complex: The secret crisis of male body obsession. New York: The Free Press.
59. Raudenbush, B., & Meyer, B. (2003). Muscular dissatisfaction and supplement use among inter-collegiate athletes. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25, 161-170.
60. Ricciardelli, L. A., & McCabe, M. P. (2001). Self-esteem and negative affect as moderators of sociocultural influences on body dissatisfaction, strategies to decrease weight, and strategies to increase muscle among adolescent boys and girls. Sex Roles, 44, 189-207.
61. Ricciardelli, L. A., & McCabe, M. P. (2004). A biopsychosocial model of disordered eating and the pursuit of muscularity in adolescent boys. Psychological Bulletin, 130, 179-205.
62. Rueter, T. (2000, March 30). Kids grapple with wrestling violence. USA Today. Retrieved June 22, 2001 at http://www.drpolitics.com/articles/ professional_wrestling.htm
63. Saunders, S. D. (2004). Lifting their way to a muscular ideal: Exploring the ideal male body with young Newfoundland men. Master's Thesis, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada.
64. Schooler, D., & Ward, M. (2006). Average Joes: Men's relationships with media, real bodies, and sexuality. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 7, 27-41.
65. Smolak, L. (2003). Body image in children and adolescents: Where do we go from here? Body Image, 1, 15-28.
66. Smolak, L., Murnen, S. K., & Thompson, J. K. (2005). Sociocultural influences and muscle building in adolescent boys. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 6, 227-239.
67. Soulliere, D. M. (2005). Masculinity on display in the squared circle: Constructing masculinity in professional wrestling. Electronic Journal of Sociology, 8. http://www.sociology.org/content/2005/tier1/soulliere.html
68. Stanford, J. N., & McCabe, M. P. (2005). Sociocultural influence on adolescent boys' body image and body change strategies. Body Image, 2, 105-113.
69. Stemler, S. (2001). An overview of content analysis. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 7. Retrieved July 29, 2002 at http://ericae.net/pare/getvn.asp?v=7&n=17
70. Stout, E. J., & Frame, M. W. (2004). Body image disorder in adolescent males: Strategies for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 8, 176-181.
71. Strauss, A. (1987). Qualitative analyses for social scientists. New York: Cambridge University Press.
72. Strong, S. M. (2005). The role of exposure to media-idealized male physiques on men's body image. Dissertation, University of Texas at Austin, USA.
73. Toro, J., Gila, A., Castro, J., Pombo, C., & Guete, O. (2005). Body image, risk factors for eating disorders and sociocultural influences in Spanish adolescents. Eating and Weight Disorders, 10, 91-97.
74. Tylka, T. L., Bergeron, D., & Schwartz, J. P. (2005). Development and psychometric evaluation of the Male Body Attitudes Scale (MBAS). Body Image, 2, 161-175.
75. Yang, C. J., Gray, P., & Pope, H. G. (2005). Male body image in Taiwan versus the West: Yanngang Zhiqui meets the Adonis complex. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 263-269.