Spectatoring and the relationship between body image and sexual experience: Self-focus or self-valence?

Author(s): Meston, C. M., Gorzalka, B. B.

Journal/Book: J Sex Res. 1997; 34: PO Box 208, Mt Vernon, IA 52314. Soc Scientific Study Sex Inc. 267-278.

Abstract: A recently reported finding that negative body image is associated with lower levels of sexual experience was replicated in a large, ethnically diverse sample of undergraduates. Additional analyses failed to support a proposed spectatoring, or chronic self-focus, interpretation of this association (e.g., Faith & Schare, 1993). First, correlations between body image and a variety of dispositional self-focus measures were either nonsignificant or in a direction opposite to that assumed by the spectatoring hypothesis. Second, a composite of self-focus ratings on three trait adjectives shown, to be associated with a narcissistic personality profile, flirtatiousness, seductive, and fashionable, explained most of the correlation between body image and sexual experience. These findings suggest body image-related sexual inexperience may have more to do with motivational mechanisms associated with self-valence (e.g., expectancy-mediated disengagement or avoidance) than, with cognitive mechanisms associated with self-focus (e.g., chronic attentional distraction from arousal cues). Explanatory pitfalls in the dual attentional and evaluative meanings of Masters and Johnson's (1970) construct of spectatoring are discussed.

Note: Article Trapnell PD, Univ British Columbia, Dept Psychol, 2136 W Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CANADA

Keyword(s): ATTENTIONAL FOCUS; PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS; ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION; TEST ANXIETY; BEHAVIOR; PERFORMANCE; MODEL; CONSCIOUSNESS; EXPECTANCY; AWARENESS

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