When ideology hurts: Effects of belief in the protestant ethic and feeling overweight on the psychological well-being of women

Author(s): Crocker, J.

Journal/Book: J Personal Soc Psychol. 1999; 77: 750 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, USA. Amer Psychological Assoc. 402-414.

Abstract: Two studies addressed the relationship between Protestant ethic (PE) ideology and psychological web-being for self-perceived overweight and normal weight women. In Study 1, PE beliefs interacted with self-perceived weight status: For very overweight women, higher PE beliefs were related to lower psychological well-being, whereas the opposite pattern emerged for normal weight women. The relationship of PE to well-being was not mediated by beliefs about controllability of weight or dislike of the overweight. In Study 2, either a PE ideology or an inclusive ideology was primed within the context of the stigma of overweight. For overweight participants, priming PE ideology led to decreased psychological well-being, whereas priming an inclusive ideology led to increased psychological well-being. Normal weight participants were unaffected. PE ideology as a vulnerability factor for the psychological well-being of the overweight is discussed.

Note: Article Quinn DM, Univ Connecticut, Dept Psychol, 405 Babbidge Rd, U-20, Storrs,CT 06269 USA

Keyword(s): SELF-ESTEEM; COGNITIVE STRUCTURES; SYMBOLIC RACISM; SOCIAL STIGMA; ATTITUDES; OBESITY; PREJUDICE; SYMPTOMATOLOGY; CONSEQUENCES; VALUES

Zurück | Weiter