Body dissatisfaction appears significant in male populations. However, research into the conceptualisation of male body dissatisfaction and the role of social comparisons is lacking. Studies that have explored this are often inconsistent in their findings and methodologically limited; often failing to prove that participants engaged in comparisons with the stimuli in which they were exposed to. The current study aims to address these limitations, by experimentally investigating whether social comparisons, encouraged through the evaluation of different male body types, affect attitudinal body image in men. 113 cis men took part in the online study, completing several body image questionnaires and a novel social comparison task, whereby participants evaluated one of three male bodies: an aspirational, muscular body, an average body, or a non-aspirational body with high adiposity. Body image questionnaires were repeated following the task. Descriptive statistics confirmed that participants in all three conditions engaged in social comparisons. However, mixed ANOVAs revealed that body appreciation and negative body attitudes did not significantly change following the social comparison task. Conversely, body concerns and drive for muscularity significantly decreased in all three conditions following the social comparison task. Self-esteem, body concerns, drive for muscularity, internalisation of sociocultural attitudes and tendency to compare to others all significantly contributed to male body satisfaction. Results suggest that men’s attitudinal body image is only partially affected by social comparisons, and that gender differences exist in the relationship between social comparisons and body image. Future research should aim to further establish the extent to which social comparisons contribute to male body dissatisfaction.
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