The Role of Social Beliefs in Body Image Research: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Australian and Hong Kong Chinese College Women.

Personal control beliefs have been extensively studied in body image research; however, research on social beliefs is limited. In the current study, the authors examined how individuals' cynical beliefs about the social world, that is, social cynicism, linked to body esteem and moderated the relationship between body esteem and self-esteem. A total of 205 female college students were recruited from Australia and Hong Kong. The results showed that social cynicism was negatively associated with two out of three body esteem factors, namely, appearance and weight (but not attribution esteem). In addition, social cynicism significantly moderated the impact of weight esteem on self-esteem. In other words, among socially cynical women, weight dissatisfaction does not largely influence their general self-image because they are less likely to internalize the social norms and expectations attached to thinness. Cultural differences in body esteem level were also observed and discussed. Clinical applications of the present findings and future research directions are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]