Inhibition of return regarding body images in women with shape/weight-based self-worth

Abstract

The present study examined attentional biases to female body images in young adult (aged 17–30 years) Caucasian females with high versus low levels of shape/weight-based self-worth. Using an inhibition of return (IOR) task, we measured how readily participants were able to disengage attention from nonthin and thin-ideal body images. In response to nonthin body images, the Low group (i.e., participants with low levels of shape/weight-based self-worth) displayed increased IOR toward the body images relative to the High group (i.e., participants with elevated shape/weight-based self-worth). Our results suggest that women with low levels of shape/weight-based self-worth possess a potential protective mechanism that allows them to more readily disengage attention from nonthin images compared to women who base their self-worth on shape/weight. These findings provide a new focus for investigating attentional processes in individuals at risk of eating disorders, as they relate to the ongoing processing of body-related imagery beyond initial attentional capture.