Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder: Definitions of Attractiveness Among African American and Caucasian Women

TL;DRAbstract

Obesity is a national epidemic affecting more than 127 million people (CDC, 2003). Nearly 78% of African American women in the nation are currently overweight or obese. Despite the negative health consequences associated with obesity, culturally mediated views of attractiveness and body image may serve as risk factors for obesity among certain ethnic groups. The traditional body image literature has been constrained by entirely focusing on body thinness as the only component of attractiveness. There is evidence to suggest that some African American women hold a multicomponent definition of attractiveness (Harris, 1990, Parker, 1995). A culturally sensitive silhouette assessment method is needed to assess these components. The current study used a Model Rating Task (MRT) that extended previous silhouette measures to include: (1) dressed models, (2) models of heavier BMI categories, and (3) shaded models to represent African Americans. With the MRT, the impact of attire, body size, and m

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