Body dissatisfaction refers to the negative subjective evaluation towards one’s own physical appearance. Research indicates that body dissatisfaction may have developed from the widespread stigmatisation towards larger body types and thus, increasing anti-fat discrimination. Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory describes that humans naturally compare themselves to others with an innate drive to evaluate abilities, attitudes, and attributes of the self. Research into autism has identified links between autistic traits and eating pathology. While this research is developing, other topics require further research such as body image and body dissatisfaction in people with autism. This eye-tracking study aimed to identify body regions that may drive these attitudes through analysing participants attentional patterns towards body image. 39 participants observed 60 body images in random succession while their eye movements were recorded by the eye tracker. A nonclinical sample of undergraduate students responded to a questionnaire of autistic traits (AQ-10). Participants also completed questionnaires related to self-reported fat attitudes, body (dis)satisfaction, and body appreciation. This study took approximately thirty-minutes altogether. The findings show support for previous literature on eye-tracking and body image with similar body regions receiving the most attention. Building on new research foundations, the results did suggest differences between the autistic traits group and the control group regarding participants attentional biases.
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