It is a cultural universal that people engage in activities related to clothing, adornment, body shaping, and decoration in order to present a particular appearance to others. Research has shown that physical appearance cues have a significant impact on how individuals are perceived in terms of specific traits such as intelligence, dependability, honesty, and friendliness. People's appearances often influence the way they are perceived by others, making this a repetitive and important aspect of social interactions.
Individuals who are perceived as more physically attractive are often assumed to possess more desirable personality traits and may benefit in various aspects of life, such as receiving better grades, marrying more potential mates, and experiencing better overall well-being. The importance of physical attractiveness is particularly pronounced for women due to societal pressures and their body image concerns.
Given the emphasis on physical appearance, people engage in various strategies to manipulate their appearance. These strategies include using cosmetics, undergoing plastic surgery, managing their weight, styling their hair, and choosing clothing, all in an effort to approximate the cultural aesthetic ideal. A model proposed by Rudd and Lennon highlights the internalization of cultural appearance ideals as a standard against which individuals compare their appearance. Social comparison processes play a central role in this model, affecting self- and other evaluations.
Individuals strive to maintain or elevate their self-esteem when their self-evaluations or evaluations by others align with the cultural aesthetic ideal. Positive evaluations of one's appearance contribute to a positive social and personal identity. However, when negative evaluations occur, individuals are motivated to employ various coping strategies, including modifying their appearance to better approximate the aesthetic ideal. This often involves appearance management behaviors, especially among women.
Rudd and Lennon (1994) note that behaviors associated with appearance management include dieting, exercising, weight training, cosmetic use, and selection of apparel to enhance ones appearance.
Women are socialized to pay more attention to appearance than men (Kaiser, 1997). Therefore, women are more aware of the manipulative potential of appearance than are men. Clothing can be used to create a favorable public image and influence the perceptions of others. By modifying the body through weight loss and changing ones appearance through the use of clothing, an individual can change the perceptions of others so that they become more favorable. More favorable evaluations by others can lead to an increased self-concept. Appearance is one of the most prominent ways to display and reinforce self-concept.
Interest in appearance is multifaceted and may reflect characteristics central to self-definition through extensive time, energy and resources expended on appearance (Kaiser, 1997). In consumer research, it is argued that the social self is achieved through the purchase and use of products that portray an image consistent with (or a compromise between) the consumers actual and/or ideal self-concept (Sproles & Burns, 1994).
Women who are dissatisfied with their body may buy and wear clothing that camouflage certain body parts or emphasize other body parts, both of which may help to bring the perceived body image more in line with the ideal body image. Dieting may also be used as a tool to help bring the perceived body image closer to the ideal. By spending time and money on dieting and exercising, women believe that they can improve their appearance and, as a result, feel better about themselves, thereby improving their self-concept. As evidenced by the increase in time and money spent on dieting and exercising behavior, appearance is an extremely important part of ones self-concept. It is believed that through personal appearance (in this case specifically through appearance management and clothing behavior), an individual presents personal identity, attitudes, moods, and value or self worth. Bloch and Richins (1992) suggested that the use of products to enhance appearance, such as cosmetics, hair coloring or clothing, may be a means of increasing self-esteem. Differences in self-esteem may translate into differences in AM behaviors.
Appearance Management is a process enacted with others in mind that involves experimentation and self-expression. Appearance Management includes dress as a process as well as the assessment of the social consequences of one's appearance. Individuals engage in Appearance Management each day of their lives, even though level of involvement and concerns related to dress and appearance may differ from person to person and culture to culture.
References:
Bloch, P.H., & Richins, M.L. (1992). You look Marvelous: The pursuit of beauty and the marketing concept. Psychology and Marketing, 9, 3-15.
Cooper, M.J., Anastasiades, P. & Fairburn, C.G. (1992). Selective processing of eating-, shape-, and weight-related words in persons with bulimia nervosa. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101(2), 352-355.
Hamid, P.N. (1972). Some effects of dress cues on observational accuracy, a perceptual estimate, and impression formation. Journal of Social Psychology, 86, 279-289.
Hill, M.K., & Lando, H.A. (1976). Physical attractiveness and sex-role stereotypes in impression formation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 43, 1251-1255.
Kaiser, S.B. (1997). The Social Psychology of Clothing : Symbolic Appearances in Context, 3rdb ed., Fairchild, New York, NY.
Kleck, R.E., & Rubenstein, C. (1975). Physical attractiveness, perceived attitude similarity, and interpersonal attraction in an opposite-sex encounter. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 107-114.
Murstein, B.I. (1972). Physical attractiveness and marital choice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 22, 8-12.
Murstein, B.I. & Christy, P. (1974). Physical attractiveness and marriage adjustment in middle-aged couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 537-542.
Rudd, N.A., and Lennon, S.J. (1994). Linkages between attitudes towards gender roles, body satisfaction, self-esteem, and appearance management behaviours in women. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, Vol.23, No.2, 94-117.
Sproles, G.B. & Burns, L.D. 1994. Changing appearances: understanding dress in contemporary society. New York. Fairchild.
Individuals who are perceived as more physically attractive are often assumed to possess more desirable personality traits and may benefit in various aspects of life, such as receiving better grades, marrying more potential mates, and experiencing better overall well-being. The importance of physical attractiveness is particularly pronounced for women due to societal pressures and their body image concerns.
Given the emphasis on physical appearance, people engage in various strategies to manipulate their appearance. These strategies include using cosmetics, undergoing plastic surgery, managing their weight, styling their hair, and choosing clothing, all in an effort to approximate the cultural aesthetic ideal. A model proposed by Rudd and Lennon highlights the internalization of cultural appearance ideals as a standard against which individuals compare their appearance. Social comparison processes play a central role in this model, affecting self- and other evaluations.
Individuals strive to maintain or elevate their self-esteem when their self-evaluations or evaluations by others align with the cultural aesthetic ideal. Positive evaluations of one's appearance contribute to a positive social and personal identity. However, when negative evaluations occur, individuals are motivated to employ various coping strategies, including modifying their appearance to better approximate the aesthetic ideal. This often involves appearance management behaviors, especially among women.
Appearance management encompasses activities related to the way individuals perceive and construct their appearance. It includes not only thoughts about one's appearance but also practical actions, such as clothing choices, body modification efforts like dieting and exercise, and other appearance-related processes.
Rudd and Lennon (1994) note that behaviors associated with appearance management include dieting, exercising, weight training, cosmetic use, and selection of apparel to enhance ones appearance.
Women are socialized to pay more attention to appearance than men (Kaiser, 1997). Therefore, women are more aware of the manipulative potential of appearance than are men. Clothing can be used to create a favorable public image and influence the perceptions of others. By modifying the body through weight loss and changing ones appearance through the use of clothing, an individual can change the perceptions of others so that they become more favorable. More favorable evaluations by others can lead to an increased self-concept. Appearance is one of the most prominent ways to display and reinforce self-concept.
Interest in appearance is multifaceted and may reflect characteristics central to self-definition through extensive time, energy and resources expended on appearance (Kaiser, 1997). In consumer research, it is argued that the social self is achieved through the purchase and use of products that portray an image consistent with (or a compromise between) the consumers actual and/or ideal self-concept (Sproles & Burns, 1994).
Women who are dissatisfied with their body may buy and wear clothing that camouflage certain body parts or emphasize other body parts, both of which may help to bring the perceived body image more in line with the ideal body image. Dieting may also be used as a tool to help bring the perceived body image closer to the ideal. By spending time and money on dieting and exercising, women believe that they can improve their appearance and, as a result, feel better about themselves, thereby improving their self-concept. As evidenced by the increase in time and money spent on dieting and exercising behavior, appearance is an extremely important part of ones self-concept. It is believed that through personal appearance (in this case specifically through appearance management and clothing behavior), an individual presents personal identity, attitudes, moods, and value or self worth. Bloch and Richins (1992) suggested that the use of products to enhance appearance, such as cosmetics, hair coloring or clothing, may be a means of increasing self-esteem. Differences in self-esteem may translate into differences in AM behaviors.
Appearance Management is a process enacted with others in mind that involves experimentation and self-expression. Appearance Management includes dress as a process as well as the assessment of the social consequences of one's appearance. Individuals engage in Appearance Management each day of their lives, even though level of involvement and concerns related to dress and appearance may differ from person to person and culture to culture.
References:
Bloch, P.H., & Richins, M.L. (1992). You look Marvelous: The pursuit of beauty and the marketing concept. Psychology and Marketing, 9, 3-15.
Cooper, M.J., Anastasiades, P. & Fairburn, C.G. (1992). Selective processing of eating-, shape-, and weight-related words in persons with bulimia nervosa. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101(2), 352-355.
Hamid, P.N. (1972). Some effects of dress cues on observational accuracy, a perceptual estimate, and impression formation. Journal of Social Psychology, 86, 279-289.
Hill, M.K., & Lando, H.A. (1976). Physical attractiveness and sex-role stereotypes in impression formation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 43, 1251-1255.
Kaiser, S.B. (1997). The Social Psychology of Clothing : Symbolic Appearances in Context, 3rdb ed., Fairchild, New York, NY.
Kleck, R.E., & Rubenstein, C. (1975). Physical attractiveness, perceived attitude similarity, and interpersonal attraction in an opposite-sex encounter. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 107-114.
Murstein, B.I. (1972). Physical attractiveness and marital choice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 22, 8-12.
Murstein, B.I. & Christy, P. (1974). Physical attractiveness and marriage adjustment in middle-aged couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 537-542.
Rudd, N.A., and Lennon, S.J. (1994). Linkages between attitudes towards gender roles, body satisfaction, self-esteem, and appearance management behaviours in women. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, Vol.23, No.2, 94-117.
Sproles, G.B. & Burns, L.D. 1994. Changing appearances: understanding dress in contemporary society. New York. Fairchild.
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