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Linking Magazine Exposure to Social Appearance Anxiety: The Role of Appearance Norms in Early Adolescence
Author(s) -
Trekels Jolien,
Eggermont Steven
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/jora.12311
Subject(s) - psychology , social anxiety , attribution , anxiety , attractiveness , developmental psychology , human physical appearance , association (psychology) , perception , physical attractiveness , social psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , neuroscience , psychoanalysis , psychotherapist
Early adolescents ( N = 1,591; M age = 11.698; SD = 0.892) participated in a two‐wave panel study (6‐month interval) to examine the longitudinal association between appearance‐focused magazine exposure and social appearance anxiety. We revealed that magazine exposure positively correlated with the internalization of appearance ideals and the attribution of social rewards to attractiveness which, in turn, related to social appearance anxiety. Internalization and attribution of social rewards formed a reinforcing spiral; once internalized, early adolescents associate positive things with appearance ideals (e.g., peer acceptance) and the perception of rewards increases early adolescents' inclination to internalize ideals. Given the adverse consequences of social appearance anxiety, the findings warrant research on the role of media in the occurrence of social appearance anxiety.