Abstract
Separate studies provided evidence of amoderating effect of public selfconsciousness (trait)and public self-awareness (state) on the physicalattractiveness contrast effect involving socialcomparison between the self and others. Generally, whenexposed to photographs of attractive women withidealized physiques, women's self-perceptions of theirown physical attractiveness, social physique anxiety, and social self-esteem were each negativelyaffected. However, these negative contrast effects weremost apparent among women with high publicself-consciousness (trait assessment, Study 1) or highpublic self-awareness (state inducement, Study 2).Implications of these findings are considered.
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Thornton, B., Maurice, J.K. Physical Attractiveness Contrast Effect and the Moderating Influence of Self-Consciousness. Sex Roles 40, 379–392 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018867409265
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018867409265