Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women

Cultivation theory suggests that exposure to ideal body images may influence women’s self-objectification and partner preferences. According to selective exposure theory, women who self-objectify and prefer muscularity may choose media that aligns with their interests, particularly media showcasing...

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Main Authors: Lijun Zheng, Tiannan Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Masaryk University 2024-11-01
Series:Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/37615
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author Lijun Zheng
Tiannan Zhao
author_facet Lijun Zheng
Tiannan Zhao
author_sort Lijun Zheng
collection DOAJ
description Cultivation theory suggests that exposure to ideal body images may influence women’s self-objectification and partner preferences. According to selective exposure theory, women who self-objectify and prefer muscularity may choose media that aligns with their interests, particularly media showcasing idealized bodies. This longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner in women. A total of 215 Chinese women (Mage = 21.1, SD = 2.5, range = 19–30) completed measures of ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for partner muscularity at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Cross-lagged panel analyses were used to analyze the reciprocal relationships between variables. The results revealed that viewing thin-ideal female body short-form video was associated with decreased self-objectification six months later. Viewing muscular-ideal male body short-form videos was not significantly associated with preference for muscularity after six months. However, preference for muscularity was associated with increased viewing of muscular-ideal male body short-form video six months later. Self-objectification was associated with an increased preference for muscularity in a partner six months later. The findings partially support the media selectivity theory.
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spelling doaj-art-e371e8fa26c44927af03bd7d867a35bf2024-12-03T07:22:47ZengMasaryk UniversityCyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace1802-79622024-11-01185Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young womenLijun Zheng0Tiannan Zhao1Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China Cultivation theory suggests that exposure to ideal body images may influence women’s self-objectification and partner preferences. According to selective exposure theory, women who self-objectify and prefer muscularity may choose media that aligns with their interests, particularly media showcasing idealized bodies. This longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner in women. A total of 215 Chinese women (Mage = 21.1, SD = 2.5, range = 19–30) completed measures of ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for partner muscularity at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Cross-lagged panel analyses were used to analyze the reciprocal relationships between variables. The results revealed that viewing thin-ideal female body short-form video was associated with decreased self-objectification six months later. Viewing muscular-ideal male body short-form videos was not significantly associated with preference for muscularity after six months. However, preference for muscularity was associated with increased viewing of muscular-ideal male body short-form video six months later. Self-objectification was associated with an increased preference for muscularity in a partner six months later. The findings partially support the media selectivity theory. https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/37615self-objectificationshort-form videothin-idealmuscularitypartner preferencecross-lagged panel model
spellingShingle Lijun Zheng
Tiannan Zhao
Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women
Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace
self-objectification
short-form video
thin-ideal
muscularity
partner preference
cross-lagged panel model
title Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women
title_full Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women
title_fullStr Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women
title_full_unstemmed Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women
title_short Longitudinal relationships between ideal body short-form video exposure, self-objectification, and preference for muscularity in a partner among Chinese young women
title_sort longitudinal relationships between ideal body short form video exposure self objectification and preference for muscularity in a partner among chinese young women
topic self-objectification
short-form video
thin-ideal
muscularity
partner preference
cross-lagged panel model
url https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/37615
work_keys_str_mv AT lijunzheng longitudinalrelationshipsbetweenidealbodyshortformvideoexposureselfobjectificationandpreferenceformuscularityinapartneramongchineseyoungwomen
AT tiannanzhao longitudinalrelationshipsbetweenidealbodyshortformvideoexposureselfobjectificationandpreferenceformuscularityinapartneramongchineseyoungwomen