Introduction
First described nearly a century ago, “body image” can be loosely defined as the mental representation of our bodies that we hold in our minds. Originally, it was believed that body image is a mirror image of what objectively exists in the world, but that certain pathologies could interfere with this perceptual process (e.g., phantom limb pain or anorexia nervosa). However, more recent literature suggests that body image is strongly influenced by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, psychological, social, cultural, biological, historical, and individual factors (Cash & Smolak, 2011).
In clinical psychology, body image is a construct that is implicated in both eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder. Many individuals with these conditions experience an inability to objectively perceive their body’s appearance, size, or shape. Body dissatisfaction, or a negative evaluation of the size, shape, or appearance of one’s body, has been linked to numerous...
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Online Resources
Body Image Handbook. http://www.body-images.com/research/books_audio.html
Body Image: An International Journal of Research. http://www.journals.elsevier.com/body-image/#description
Centre for Appearance Research. http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/hls/research/appearanceresearch
Dove Self-Esteem Project. http://www.dove.ca/en/Social-Mission/Self-Esteem-Resources/
Eating Disorder Research Society. www.edresearchsociety.org
International Association for Eating Disorders. www.aedweb.org
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Roosen, K.M., Mills, J.S. (2014). Body Image, Overview. In: Teo, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5583-7_403
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5583-7_403
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