Background and objectives

Approaching the thin-ideal and avoiding the stigma of fatness are motivational tendencies resulting from the internalisation of sociocultural appearance norms. Individual differences in subclinical levels of eating disorder symptomatology may be related to variation in motivational tendencies regarding thin vs. non-thin bodies.

Methods

To empirically investigate this hypothesis, the current study employed a novel touchscreen approach-avoidance task with the capacity to effectively simulate compatible approach-avoidance movements. Eighty-four undergraduate females pulled closer or pushed away images depicting either bodies or objects, in response to weight category (underweight bodies vs. overweight bodies) and object category (kitchen items vs. office tools), by means of arm movements.

Results

Unexpectedly, results revealed relatively faster approach of overweight bodies and relatively faster avoidance of underweight bodies. Moreover, speeded approach towards overweight bodies, relative to underweight bodies, correlated positively with elevated eating disorder symptomatology.

Limitations

The current sample was restricted to undergraduate women.

Conclusions

The current study provides initial evidence for the utility of a touchscreen-based measure of approach-avoidance tendencies in body image, albeit comparison with other bias assessments would be necessary. Moreover, our findings suggest that a greater tendency to approach overweight bodies is associated with elevated eating disorder symptomatology. Future extensions of the current work are necessary to clarify the function of motivational tendencies in the body image context.

中文翻译：

---

使用新型触摸屏范例评估身体图像中的接近回避倾向。

背景和目标

接近理想的瘦身和避免肥胖的耻辱是社会文化外貌规范内化所产生的动机倾向。饮食失调症状的亚临床水平的个体差异可能与关于瘦体与非瘦体的动机倾向的变化有关。

方法

为了对这一假设进行实证研究，当前的研究采用了一种新颖的触摸屏避让任务，该任务能够有效模拟兼容的避让运动。84 名本科女性通过手臂运动拉近或推开描绘身体或物体的图像，以响应体重类别（体重不足的身体与超重的身体）和物体类别（厨房用品与办公工具）。

结果

出乎意料的是，结果显示超重身体的接近速度相对较快，而体重不足的身体避免相对较快。此外，相对于体重不足的身体，对超重身体的加速方法与饮食失调症状升高呈正相关。

限制

目前的样本仅限于本科女性。

结论

目前的研究为基于触摸屏的身体形象中接近回避倾向的测量提供了初步证据，尽管需要与其他偏见评估进行比较。此外，我们的研究结果表明，接近超重身体的更大趋势与饮食失调症状升高有关。当前工作的未来扩展对于阐明动机倾向在身体意象环境中的功能是必要的。