ACCEPTANCE OF OWN CORPOREALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS: CONTRADICTIONS AND THEIR RESOLUTION

Abstract

The article states the biopsychosocial approach as providing an opportunity to cover different aspects of the psychology of corporeality in the sphere of marital interaction. The results of the study relate to the gender differences in the attitude of the married couples to their own body, in particular, in the categories of «acceptance-rejection» and its presentation in marital interaction through the concept of «criticism of the appearance of the partner» and «motivation to change one’s own body». Participants of the study are300 persons aged from 19 to 75 years old. The research was conducted by the method of direct and on-line testing. According to the results of the research, which was conducted on the territory of Ukraine, the antonymic nature of corporeality in the context of married life was confirmed, and it was statistically proved that positive attitude towards one’s own body is a condition of positive perception of the world, prosociality and satisfaction with family life as a whole and with each one of its spheres. It is stated that the attitude towards one's own body is a situational characteristic that is variable throughout life. It was found that in situations of criticism of the appearance on the part of the partner, the initially fixated positive attitude to one’s own body undergoes a revision (up to its destruction). The reactive character of the motivation for changes in one's own body is being proved: conflicting, antagonistic and criticizing environment enhances the motivation to change one’s own body and is more characteristic for women under the age of 30 without children. The research has found the effects of restoring a positive attitude towards one's own body. They relate to situations of manifestations of sociability and support of the partner as a response to a request; development of the sphere of interests that are sociable and promisingly directed for environmentally friendly management of the living environment. It is proved that the positive attitude towards one’s own body is based on the relationship of mutual support, interest in food and mode of life, thereby pointing to directions of development of the culture of marital relationships. The prospect of further research is the study of the nature of corporeality as a systemic and cultural phenomenon, which reveals the marital potential of balanced functioning in the living environment.

Keywords

• family
• marriage
• gender relationship
• physical culture