Examining University Men’s Psychobiological and Behavioral Response-Recovery Profile From a Social-Evaluative Body Image Threat

Negative body image, which often results from social-evaluative body image threats, is common in young men and related to many harmful outcomes. Using social self-preservation theory (SSPT), the present study investigated the psychobiological (i.e., shame and cortisol) and behavioral (e.g., submission) response-recovery profile to a social-evaluative body image threat in university men. Participants ( N = 69; Mage = 20.80 years, SD = 1.84) were randomly assigned to a high-threat ( n = 34) or low-threat condition ( n = 35). Men in the high-threat condition reported greater post-threat body shame, had greater post-threat cortisol levels, and exhibited more shame-relevant behaviors than men in the low-threat condition. There were no significant differences between conditions for body shame or cortisol at the final post-threat time point (after resting for 30 min). These findings are consistent with SSPT and suggest that men respond to, and recover from, body image threats relatively efficiently.

Examining University Men’s Psychobiological and Behavioral Response-Recovery Profile From a Social-Evaluative Body Image Threat Journal Articles