Batman to the rescue! The protective effects of parasocial relationships with muscular superheroes on men's body image

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

Volumn 49, Issue 1, 2013, Pages 173-177

  Young, Ariana F ^a   Gabriel, Shira ^a   Hollar, Jordan L ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO   (United States)

Author keywords

Men's body image; Muscular media figures; Parasocial relationships; Social cognition; Social comparison; Superheroes

Indexed keywords

EID: 84867490441     PISSN: 00221031     EISSN: 10960465     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2012.08.003     Document Type: Article

References (27)

1. Baghurst T., Hollander D.B., Nardella B., Haff G. Change in sociocultural ideal male physique: An examination of past and present action figures. Body Image 2006, 3:87-91. 10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.11.001.
2. Barlett C., Harris R., Smith S., Bonds-Raacke J. Action figures and men. Sex Roles 2005, 53:877-885. 10.1007/s11199-005-8304-4.
3. Barlett C.P., Vowels C.L., Saucier D.A. Meta-analyses of the effects of media images on men's body-image concerns. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 2008, 27:279-310. 10.1521/jscp. 2008.27.3.279.
4. Blond A. Impacts of exposure to images of ideal bodies on male body dissatisfaction: A review. Body Image 2008, 5:244-250. 10.1016/j.bodyim.2008.02.003.
5. Boon S.D., Lomore C.D. Admirer-celebrity relationships among young adults: Explaining perceptions of celebrity influence on identity. Human Communication Research 2001, 27:432-465. 10.1093/hcr/27.3.432.
6. Box office mojo: Total lifetime grosses worldwide (for selected superhero films). (n.d.). Retrieved June, 8, 2012, from Box Office Mojo, http://www.boxofficemojo.com/.
7. Brown J.D., Novick N.J., Lord K.A., Richards J.M. When Gulliver travels: Social context, psychological closeness, and self-appraisals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1992, 62:717-727. 10.1037/0022-3514.62.5.717.
8. Cafri G., Olivardia R., Thompson J. Symptom characteristics and psychiatric comorbidity among males with muscle dysmorphia. Comprehensive Psychiatry 2008, 49:374-379. 10.1016/j.comppsych.2008.01.003.
9. Derrick J.L., Gabriel S., Hugenberg K. Social surrogacy: How favored television programs provide the experience of belonging. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 2009, 45:352-362. 10.1016/j.jesp. 2008.12.003.
10. Derrick J.L., Gabriel S., Tippin B. Parasocial relationships and self-discrepancies: Faux relationships have benefits for low self-esteem individuals. Personal Relationships 2008, 15:261-280. 10.1111/j.1475-6811.2008.00197.x.
11. Dijksterhuis A., Spears R., Postmes T., Stapel D., Koomen W., Knippenberg A.V., et al. Seeing one thing and doing another: Contrast effects in automatic behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1998, 75:862-871. 10.1037/0022-3514.75.4.862.
12. Franzoi S.L., Shields S.A. The body esteem scale: Multidimensional structure and sex differences in a college population. Journal of Personality Assessment 1984, 48:173-178. 10.1207/s15327752jpa4802_12.
13. Gardner W.L., Knowles M.L. Love makes you real: Favorite television characters are perceived as "real" in a social facilitation paradigm. Social Cognition 2008, 26:156-168. 10.1521/soco.2008.26.2.156.
14. Giles D.C., Maltby J. The role of media figures in adolescent development: Relations between autonomy, attachment, and interest in celebrities. Personality and Individual Differences 2004, 36:813-822. 10.1016/S0191-8869(03)00154-5.
15. Greenwood D.N. Idealized TV friends and young women's body concerns. Body Image 2009, 6:97-104.
16. Harrison K. Does interpersonal attraction to thin media personalities promote eating disorders?. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 1997, 41:478-500.
17. Heatherton T.F., Polivy J. Development and validation of a scale for measuring state self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1991, 60:895-910. 10.1037/0022-3514.60.6.895.
18. Horton D., Wohl R.R. Mass communication and para-social interaction: Observations of intimacy at a distance. Psychiatry 1956, 19:215-229.
19. Martin J.F. Children's attitudes toward superheroes as a potential indicator of their moral understanding. Journal of Moral Education 2007, 36:239-250. 10.1080/03057240701325381.
20. McCrary J.H. Children's heroes and heroines: Developing values manifested through artwork. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the Mid-South Educational Research Association, Point Clear, AL, November 17-19 1999.
21. Mussweiler T. Comparison processes in social judgment: Mechanisms and consequences. Psychological Review 2003, 110:472-489. 10.1037/0033-295X.110.3.472.
22. Muth J.L., Cash T.F. Body-image attitudes: What difference does gender make?. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 1997, 27:1438-1452. 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1997.tb01607.x.
23. Olivardia R., Pope H.R., Borowiecki J., Cohane G.H. Biceps and body image: The relationship between muscularity and self-esteem, depression, and eating disorder symptoms. Psychology of Men and Masculinity 2004, 5:112-120. 10.1037/1524-9220.5.2.112.
24. Parsons A., Howe N. Superhero toys and boys' physically active and imaginative play. Journal of Research in Childhood Education 2006, 20:287-300.
25. Pope H.R., Olivardia R., Gruber A., Borowiecki J. Evolving ideals of male body image as seen through action toys. International Journal of Eating Disorders 1999, 26:65-72. 10.1002/(SICI)1098-108X(199907)26:1<65::AID-EAT8>3.0.CO;2-D.
26. Watson D., Clark L.A., Tellegen A. Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scale. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1988, 54:1063-1070. 10.1037/0022-3514.54.6.1063.
27. Young A.F., Gabriel S., Sechrist G.B. The skinny on celebrities: Parasocial relationships moderate the effects of thin media figures on women's body image. Social Psychological and Personality Science 2012, (Advance online publication). 10.1177/1948550611434785.