Appearance comparisons can negatively influence women’s body image, but little is known about the potential impact of comparison targets. We conducted an ecological momentary assessment study in which female undergraduate students (N = 146) completed a brief online survey at five random times every day for five days. In this survey, participants were asked if they had made an appearance comparison. If so, they were asked who they compared themselves to (i.e., close peer, acquaintance, stranger, celebrity/model), how they rated compared to that person (i.e., more attractive, just as attractive, less attractive), and how attainable that person’s appearance is to them. All participants then completed state measures of mood, appearance satisfaction, and intention to diet and exercise. Upward comparisons (i.e., to more attractive others) to all targets were associated with less appearance satisfaction, lower positive mood, and more thoughts of dieting and exercising than when no comparisons were made. There were indirect relationships between comparisons to celebrities/models versus all other targets and appearance satisfaction via perceived attainability of the target’s appearance. These findings suggest that celebrities may be particularly harmful appearance comparison targets in women’s everyday lives because their attractive appearance is perceived to be less personally attainable than other targets.

外貌比较会对女性的身体形象产生负面影响，但人们对比较目标的潜在影响知之甚少。我们进行了一项生态瞬时评估研究，其中女本科生 ( N= 146）在五天内每天随机五次完成简短的在线调查。在这项调查中，参与者被问及他们是否进行了外观比较。如果是这样，他们会被问到他们与谁进行了比较（即，亲密的同龄人、熟人、陌生人、名人/模特），与那个人相比，他们如何评价（即，更有吸引力，同样有吸引力，不那么有吸引力），以及如何实现那个人的容貌对他们来说。然后，所有参与者都完成了情绪、外观满意度以及饮食和锻炼意图的状态测量。与没有进行比较时相比，与所有目标相比，向上比较（即与更有吸引力的其他人）与较少的外表满意度、较低的积极情绪以及更多的节食和锻炼想法相关。名人/模特与所有其他目标的比较与通过目标外观的感知可达性的外观满意度之间存在间接关系。这些研究结果表明，名人可能是女性日常生活中特别有害的外貌比较目标，因为与其他目标相比，人们认为他们有吸引力的外表更不容易被个人实现。