Body image is a multidimensional construct (Banfield, 2002) which describes how an individual perceives the shape, size and distinctive characteristics of their body (Como et al. , 2018). Negative body image is prevalent in society, affecting 1 in 5 adults (Mental Health Foundation, 2024). Size-estimation tasks attempt to measure body image distortion. Recent advances in technology have allowed body image research to be performed in virtual reality (Ferrer-Garcia & Gutierrez-Maldonado, 2012). However, an overarching limitation of this is variance in task instruction phrasing (Dollinger et al., 2022). This study aimed to investigate the influence of task instruction phrasing on size estimation tasks in virtual reality using data collected via a laboratory study at the University of Lincoln. Data was collected from volunteers (N = 29), who were invited to participate via social media and advertisement around the University of Lincoln campus. Participants were randomly allocated to group 1 (affective “feel” condition), group 2 (cognitive “think” condition), or group 3 (neutral “match” condition). The BSQ-16b, BAS-2 and FAAT questionnaires were used to score body dissatisfaction, body appreciation and attitudes towards fatness and obesity. The results of the ANOVA found the effect of task instruction phrasing on body size-estimation tasks in virtual reality to be non-significant. Therefore, the hypothesis was rejected. However, higher levels of body dissatisfaction were found to be a predictor of body size over-estimations. Additionally, higher levels of body appreciation were found to correlate with less over-estimations in the body size-estimation task. Furthermore, body dissatisfaction was found to correlate with high
anti -fat attitudes, whereas body appreciation correlated with less anti -fat attitudes. Implications of these findings in an educational and clinical setting are discussed. Additionally, limitations such as the use of standardised stimuli and BMI, are discussed.
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