Editing Body image (section)

{{Short description|Aesthetic perception of one's own body}}
{{About|body image from a psychological, historical and sociological point of view|body image from a neuroscientific viewpoint|body image (neuroscience)|and|body schema|the journal|Body Image (journal)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
[[File:Titian - Venus with a Mirror - WGA22904.jpg|thumb|334x334px|''Venus with a Mirror'' (1555) by [[Titian]]]]
'''Body image''' is a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the [[aesthetics]] or [[sexual attractiveness]] of their own body.<ref name="Grogan 2016 book">{{cite book |last1=Grogan |first1=S |title=Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women and children |date=2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kar |first1=Sujita Kumar |last2=Upadhyay |first2=Saumya |title=Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior |date=2023 |publisher=[[Springer, Cham]] |isbn=978-3-031-08956-5 |pages=1–4 |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_362-1 |language=en |chapter=Body Image |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_362-1}}</ref> The concept of body image is used in several disciplines, including [[neuroscience]], [[psychology]], [[medicine]], [[psychiatry]], [[psychoanalysis]], [[philosophy]], [[Cultural studies|cultural]] and [[feminist studies]]; the media also often uses the term. Across these disciplines, there is no single consensus definition, but broadly speaking, body image consists of the ways people view themselves; their memories, experiences, assumptions, and comparisons about their appearances; and their overall attitudes towards their respective heights, shapes, and weights<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url= https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/what-body-image|title= What is Body Image?|publisher= National Eating Disorders Association|access-date= October 31, 2017}}</ref>—all of which are shaped by prevalent social and cultural ideals.

Body image can be negative ("body negativity"), positive ("[[body positivity]]") or neutral in character. A person with a negative body image may feel self-conscious or ashamed and may feel that others are more attractive.<ref name=":1" /> In a time where [[social media]] holds a very important place and is used frequently in our daily lives, people of different ages are affected emotionally and mentally by the appearance and body size/shape ideals set by the society they live in. These standards that are created and constantly being changed by society can contribute in part to [[body shaming]] - the act of humiliating an individual by mocking or making critical comments about a person's [[Human physical appearance|physiological appearance]].

Aside from having low self-esteem, sufferers typically fixate on altering their physical appearances to appease the perceived standards. Such behavior creates body dissatisfaction and higher risks of [[eating disorders]], isolation, and [[mental illnesses]] in the long term.<ref name=":1" /> In eating disorders, a negative body image may also lead to [[body image disturbance]], an altered perception of the whole one's body. Body dissatisfaction also characterizes [[body dysmorphic disorder]], an [[Obsessive–compulsive disorder|obsessive-compulsive disorder]] defined by concerns about some specific aspect of one's body (usually face, skin or hair), which is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix. Often, people who have a low body image will try to alter their bodies in some way, such as by [[dieting]] or by undergoing [[cosmetic surgery]]. On the other hand, positive body image consists of perceiving one's figure clearly and correctly, celebrating and appreciating one's body, and understanding that one's appearance does not reflect one's character or worth.<ref name=":1" />

Many factors contribute to a person's body image, including family dynamics, mental illness, biological predispositions and environmental causes for [[obesity]] or [[malnutrition]], and cultural expectations (e.g., [[Media depictions of body shape|media]] and politics). People who are either underweight or overweight can have poor body image.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Derenne |first1=J. L. |last2=Beresin |first2=E. V. |title=Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders |journal=Academic Psychiatry |date=June 1, 2006 |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=257–261 |doi=10.1176/appi.ap.30.3.257 |pmid=16728774 |s2cid=11131622 }}</ref>

A 2007 report by the [[American Psychological Association]] found that a culture-wide [[sexualization]] of girls and women was contributing to increased female [[anxiety]] associated with body image.<ref name=APA>{{cite web |title= Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls |year= 2007 |publisher= American Psychological Association |url= http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report-full.pdf}}</ref> An [[Australian government]] [[Australian Senate committees|Senate Standing Committee]] report on the [[sexualization of children]] in the media reported similar findings associated with body image.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Completed_inquiries/2008-10/sexualisationofchildren/report/index|title= Sexualisation of children in the contemporary media|date= June 26, 2008|publisher= Parliament of Australia |access-date= May 3, 2016| quote=The committee considers that the inappropriate sexualisation of children in Australia is of increasing concern...In particular, the onus is on broadcasters, publishers, advertisers, retailers and manufacturers to take account of these community concerns. }}</ref> However, other scholars have expressed concern that these claims are not based on solid data.<ref name="tamiu">{{cite journal |last1=Ferguson |first1=Christopher J. |last2=Winegard |first2=Benjamin |last3=Winegard |first3=Bo M. |s2cid=4848392 |title=Who is The Fairest One of All? How Evolution Guides Peer and Media Influences on Female Body Dissatisfaction |journal=Review of General Psychology |date=March 2011 |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=11–28 |doi=10.1037/a0022607 }}</ref>