African American Body Images
ANGELA A. CELIO
MARION F. ZABINSKI
DENISE E. WILFLEY
The study of body image is not complete without considering the cultural frameworks that influence people, both as group members and as individuals. This chapter provides an overview of the interethnic differences and intraethnic variation among African Americans that may elucidate the link between cultural contexts and the development and experience of body image.
Body image researchers seldom study African Americans exclusively. Most often, African Americans are compared with whites, although a few studies compare African Americans to other non-white groups. Researchers tend to use the broad term "black" to refer to African Americans, African Caribbeans, and those of continental African descent. However, a variety of influences may affect each of these subgroups' attitudes and values differently. Similarly, the body image literature uses the terms "white," "European American," and "Caucasian" interchangeably. We recognize the problem with such broad categories, yet for simplicity and consistency the terms "black" and "white" will be used throughout this chapter.
In general, there appears to be a more flexible standard of attractiveness and a wider range of acceptable weights and shapes among blacks as compared to whites. While the white standard of female attractiveness consists solely of a slender body shape, black females have described their standard as
-234-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice.
Contributors: Thomas F. Cash - Editor, Thomas Pruzinsky - Editor.
Publisher: Guilford Press.
Place of publication: New York.
Publication year: 2002.
Page number: 234.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
One moment ...
- Georgia
- Arial
- Times New Roman
- Verdana
- Courier/monospaced
Reset