The Relation of Sex Role Stereotyping to Body Image

Abstract

Past research has demonstrated a relationship between personality characterisics and body types and also a clear relationship between personality traits and sex role stereotyping. The present research focuses on delineating a relationship between sex role stereotyping and body types. Three hundred sixty (360) male and female undergraduates enrolled in lower division sociology and psychology courses were asked to assess one of six silhouettes (three male and three female body types) by using the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Findings suggest that the male mesomorph is clearly sex-typed masculine, while the female ectomorph is clearly sex-typed feminine. The remaining male and female body types appear to be “androgynous.”