The effects of threatened social evaluation of the physique on cortisol activity

Abstract

Social self preservation theory asserts that situations high in social-evaluative threat elicit increases in cortisol, a hormone released by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Most tests of the theory have examined threats associated with social evaluation of a performance. Two experiments examined the effects of threatened social evaluation of one's physique. In Experiments 1 (n = 50) and 2 (n = 40), participants allocated to an experimental (threat) condition had significantly higher post-manipulation cortisol than participants in a control (no threat) condition. In Experiment 1, perceptions of social-evaluative threat were significantly correlated with post-manipulation cortisol levels. These results suggest that the threatened social evaluation of one's body can activate the cortisol response. Women who frequently experience such threats may be at increased risk for a variety of health conditions associated with chronic cortisol exposure.

Keywords:

• body image
• social physique anxiety
• stress
• HPA axis

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a SSHRC Research Development Initiative grant and a McMaster University Arts Research Board grant. Preparation of the manuscript was supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award, awarded to the first author. Study sponsors had no role whatsoever in study design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation, the writing of the report or the decision to submit the paper for publication. We gratefully acknowledge Cheryl Che, Carolyn Frankovich, and Eva Pila for their assistance with data collection, and Adrienne Sinden for her assistance with the preparation of this manuscript.

Notes

Note

1. The analyses were also computed including these four participants. All results were virtually identical to the results reported herein.