Weight and social comparison: Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight?

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Weight and social comparison : Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight? / Christensen, Vibeke Tornhøj; Jæger, Mads Meier.

In: Health Psychology Open, Vol. July-December, 2018, p. 1-9.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Christensen, VT & Jæger, MM 2018, 'Weight and social comparison: Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight?', Health Psychology Open, vol. July-December, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102918819260

APA

Christensen, V. T., & Jæger, M. M. (2018). Weight and social comparison: Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight? Health Psychology Open, July-December, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102918819260

Vancouver

Christensen VT, Jæger MM. Weight and social comparison: Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight? Health Psychology Open. 2018;July-December:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102918819260

Author

Christensen, Vibeke Tornhøj ; Jæger, Mads Meier. / Weight and social comparison : Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight?. In: Health Psychology Open. 2018 ; Vol. July-December. pp. 1-9.

Bibtex

@article{0fd9404e1d9545b8943a56e20ce1aa76,
title = "Weight and social comparison: Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight?",
abstract = "Research suggests that social context affects individuals{\textquoteright} perception of their own weight. Using face-to-face interviews as the social context, we analyze the effect of interviewers{\textquoteright} (N=90) body mass index on respondents{\textquoteright} (N=3068) selfperceived weight level. Respondents reported a higher weight level when the interviewer had a higher body mass index (absolute social comparison). Female respondents reported a lower weight level if interviewers had a higher body mass index than they did (relative social comparison). Results suggest that weight perception reflects both absolute and relative social comparison, especially among women. Future research should consider causation and self-selection whenstudying social context and body image.",
keywords = "Faculty of Social Sciences, body mass index, gender, social comparison, social context, weight perception",
author = "Christensen, {Vibeke Tornh{\o}j} and J{\ae}ger, {Mads Meier}",
year = "2018",
doi = "10.1177/2055102918819260",
language = "English",
volume = "July-December",
pages = "1--9",
journal = "Health Psychology Open",
issn = "2055-1029",
publisher = "SAGE Publications",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Weight and social comparison

T2 - Does the weight of a stranger affect a person's perception of their own weight?

AU - Christensen, Vibeke Tornhøj

AU - Jæger, Mads Meier

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Research suggests that social context affects individuals’ perception of their own weight. Using face-to-face interviews as the social context, we analyze the effect of interviewers’ (N=90) body mass index on respondents’ (N=3068) selfperceived weight level. Respondents reported a higher weight level when the interviewer had a higher body mass index (absolute social comparison). Female respondents reported a lower weight level if interviewers had a higher body mass index than they did (relative social comparison). Results suggest that weight perception reflects both absolute and relative social comparison, especially among women. Future research should consider causation and self-selection whenstudying social context and body image.

AB - Research suggests that social context affects individuals’ perception of their own weight. Using face-to-face interviews as the social context, we analyze the effect of interviewers’ (N=90) body mass index on respondents’ (N=3068) selfperceived weight level. Respondents reported a higher weight level when the interviewer had a higher body mass index (absolute social comparison). Female respondents reported a lower weight level if interviewers had a higher body mass index than they did (relative social comparison). Results suggest that weight perception reflects both absolute and relative social comparison, especially among women. Future research should consider causation and self-selection whenstudying social context and body image.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - body mass index

KW - gender

KW - social comparison

KW - social context

KW - weight perception

U2 - 10.1177/2055102918819260

DO - 10.1177/2055102918819260

M3 - Journal article

VL - July-December

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - Health Psychology Open

JF - Health Psychology Open

SN - 2055-1029

ER -

ID: 209835138