Young men who took part in a computer task linking images of ultra-muscular men with negative words reported an immediate increase in satisfaction with their muscle appearance, according to an experiment conducted by researchers at Maastricht University. The study did not find a significant change in self-objectification, or the tendency to view one’s body primarily in terms of appearance.
The experiment involved men aged 18 to 29, who first completed questionnaires about their body-related thoughts and feelings. Participants were then randomly assigned to an intervention task or a placebo task. In the intervention, images representing the idealized male body were repeatedly followed by words such as “fake,” “unnatural” and “artificial.” Images of sports equipment and neutral objects were paired with their own categories of words. Participants completed the sequence more than 300 times.
The placebo group saw the same images and words, but the pairings were random. After the task, participants completed the body-related questionnaires again. They had not been told that the experiment was testing a technique intended to reduce body concerns.
Compared with the placebo group, men in the intervention group reported increased satisfaction with their muscle appearance. The researchers suggest that associating idealized physiques with negative words may make them seem less suitable as standards for comparing one’s own body. However, the experiment did not show significant changes in self-objectification.
The researchers describe the findings as an initial proof of concept. They say further studies with other groups of men and longer follow-up periods are needed to assess whether the effect lasts and whether the technique could complement broader approaches to male body-image concerns. The study was published in the European Eating Disorders Review.
Sources: Psychology Today.