Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회지)

The Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회)
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Effects of Model's Body Size in Online Shopping Site on Female Consumers' Body Image

온라인 쇼핑사이트 모델의 신체사이즈가 여성소비자의 신체이미지에 미치는 영향

  • Lee, Minsun (Center for Perception and Behavioral Research, Incheon National University) ;
  • Lee, Hyun-Hwa (Dept. of Fashion Design & Textiles, Inha University)
  • 이민선 (인천대학교 인지행동연구센터) ;
  • 이현화 (인하대학교 의류디자인학과)
  • Received : 2018.05.09
  • Accepted : 2018.07.20
  • Published : 2018.10.31
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Abstract

This study (1) explores female consumers' attitudes toward fat people and perceptions about plus-size models, (2) addresses female consumers' responses to models with different body sizes, and (3) examines the effect of plus-size model presence on female consumers' body image. We collected an online questionnaire from a total of 600 female participants in their 20's and 30's. Stimuli included six full-colored photo images of models with thin and plus body sizes (three in each group). Images were captured from the online shopping site of the fashion brand currently providing both average and plus-size clothes. Respondents were randomly assigned one of the groups by model size. Results support the sociocultural perspective that a thin/ideal body of models has a negative influence on female viewers' sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, mood state and body satisfaction. Findings also suggest that exposure to plus-size models can reduce negative media effects on females body image perceptions, regardless of individual body size.

Keywords

References

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