Social Stereotyping of Female Body Image by Elementary School Age Girls

Abstract

This study determined if elementary school girls stereotype body images socially as boys do. Subjects were chosen from grades 1–5 by agreement between a rating and a ponderal index designation of body type. Analysis of the assignment of adjectives to female body forms indicated that the ectomorph received favorable adjectives, the mesomorph a fewer number of favorable adjectives, most of which dealt with physical strength characteristics, and the endomorph unfavorable adjectives. These assignments differed from those of boys, in that boys favorably stereotype the mesomorph. The assignment of adjectives by girls was not related to the body build of the subject.