The Relationship Between Culture, Geographic Region, and Gender on Body Image: A Comparison of College Students in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest Regions of the United States

Abstract

Body image is a significant predictor of important psychological and physical outcomes. The current study sought to expand on previous research on cross-cultural differences in body image across countries by exploring differences in body image based on geographic region within the United States. A sample of 1,365 participants was recruited from universities in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. Participants completed a survey that assessed their gender, geographic region, and body image. Women reported poorer body image than men, and young adults from the Southeast reported poorer body image than young adults from the Pacific Northwest. There were significant interaction effects for gender and geographic region with women from the Southeast reporting the poorest body image of any group. The authors suggest that sociocultural differences in standard of beauty in the Southeast as well as differences in dress related to climate may contribute to the findings.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amber Paulk

Dr. Amber Paulk received her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University in 2008. She served as an Assistant Professor in the Family Studies program at Central Washington University from 2008–2011. She joined the Sociology and Family Studies faculty at the University of North Alabama in 2011, and she currently serves as the graduate program coordinator for its Master's in Family Studies program.

Duane Alan Dowd

Dr. Duane Alan Dowd received his PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University in 2001. He served as an Assistant Professor of Family and Child Studies at Louisiana Tech University from 2000–2008. In 2008, he joined the faculty at Central Washington University. He is currently an Associate Professor and the Family Studies program coordinator.

Ryan Zayac

Dr. Ryan Zayac is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) who received his PhD in Psychology from Auburn University in 2008. He served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Central Washington University from 2008–2010, before joining the Department of Psychology at the University of North Alabama.

Andrea Eklund

Ms. Andrea Eklund, MA, received her MA in Apparel, Merchandising, and Textiles from Washington State University in 2002. She joined the faculty at Central Washington University in 2007. She is currently an Associate Professor and the program coordinator for the Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising program.

Cory Kildare

Ms. Cory Kildare received her MS in Family Studies in 2011 from Central Washington University. She is currently a doctoral candidate and graduate teaching fellow in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of North Texas.