This paper analyzes the internal mechanisms of the individual positive and negative attitude towards appearance, the description of which is under-represented in the psychological literature. The process of creating a consistent image of the physical «Self» and maintaining a positive emotional evaluation of the body and appearance particularly seen through the idea of assigning the individual components of appearance, committed throughout the whole course of life, and is understood as a specific psychological problem, addressable only in human personality as integrative unity, preserving and maintaining its integrity. The hypothesis of the study made by the assumption that a positive attitude to their external appearance is ensured, actualization processes semantic and symbolic mediation of the physical and expressive features, and on the contrary, a negative attitude toward the appearance indicates the failure of such processes. The following characteristics of body image were considered: emotional assessment and the nature of the work on the body, the internal means of maintaining a positive attitude to their appearance, and also the broader context of personal characteristics, particularly the motivational sphere, psychological defenses, the general harmony, integration of personality structure. Differences were demonstrated between conscious and unconscious relation to the external appearance among the subjects, presented significant correlations between the non-integration of personal organization and the negative attitude towards appearance, and between the presence of supervaluation group needs and the negative assessment by the subjects of their appearance. The subjects who accept their appearance are characterized by a greater representation of mediation systems as the assignment of funds in the structure of the physical image «Self», as compared to subjects not receiving their physical appearance.
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Keywords: physicality; physical «Self»; body image; image of appearance; distortion of body image; body-oriented psychotherapy; assignment; integration; clinical method; qualitative research;
Available Online 30.03.2017
Table 1. – Direct and indirect indicators of subject assessing his/her appearance
|
№ |
Questions |
View of One’s Body |
|
|
Direct Indicators |
Indirect Indicators |
||
|
1. |
What do you think about your photos? |
Good (good – to good features, bad – to bad features, usually good, mostly good, normal, etc.) (Acceptance) Bad (not really, not photogenic, do not like the photos, do not like, as it turns out, it is critical to treat, etc.) (Non-Acceptance) |
|
|
2. |
Behaviour when taking photos |
Poses, changes image for different picturesphotos; keeps free of course (Acceptance) Keeps embarrassed, awkward; there are protective behavioural reactions (e.g. grimacing, the subject closes herself/himself trying to keep herself/ himself as far as possible, says cues like "I do not know how, show how to stand, how to sit, is it ok? I do not know how to pose. I do not like when I am photographed ", refuses to be photographed or filmed) (Non- Acceptance) |
|
|
3. |
Assess the photos and videos using 10 points scale |
Maximum point is 10 (High— Acceptance, Low – Non-Acceptance) |
Avoids responding (refuses to view photos, quickly leafs through them without considering estimates of time ("normal photography", "more or less", "ok", etc.), argues that the appearance is not important) (Non- Acceptance) |
Table 2. – Direct and indirect indicators that identify subject’s work on his/her appearance
|
№ |
Questions
|
View of One’s Body |
|
|
Direct Indicators |
Indirect Indicators |
||
|
1. |
What do you pay attention to in your appearance most of all? |
1. Enumerates using negative evaluation 2. Enumerates using positive evaluation 3. None |
Topics: the subject speaks more about the expression; the subject says more about the features of the exterior; the subject says more about the work on the appearance (grooming, neatness, adherence to fashion, etc.) Avoids responding (ignoring the question; generalization; emphasizing insignificance appearance) |
|
2. |
Do you take care of your appearance? |
Yes No |
Topics: the subject cares for clothing, plays sports, attends the beautician, etc. Avoids answering Underlines insignificance of appearance |
|
3. |
Is it important for you to choose clothes? |
Yes Depends on circumstances No |
Features of the subject’s appearance How thoroughly selects clothes Avoids answering Underlines insignificance of appearance |
Table 3. – Photography and video technique
|
Subjects |
Average rating to estimate the photos |
Median value (Photos) |
Minimum Rate (Photos) |
Maximum Rate (Photos) |
Points to assess the video |
|
1. |
7,08 |
7,5 |
5 |
8,5 |
8,5 |
|
2. |
7,2 |
7 |
5 |
9 |
9 |
|
3. |
3,3 |
4 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
4. |
4 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
- |
|
5. |
7,6 |
9 |
3 |
10 |
10 |
|
6. |
5,6 |
6 |
3 |
8 |
6,5 |
|
7. |
6,2 |
7 |
1 |
10 |
9 |
|
8. |
5 |
4,5 |
3 |
8 |
8 |
|
9. |
8,8 |
8,5 |
8 |
10 |
9 |
|
10. |
7,5 |
8 |
4 |
10 |
8 |
|
11. |
7,08 |
6,5 |
6 |
9,5 |
6 |
|
12. |
5,8 |
5,5 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
|
13. |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
14. |
7,4 |
7 |
5 |
10 |
10 |
|
15. |
6,6 |
6,5 |
6 |
8 |
8 |
|
16. |
4,8 |
5 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
|
17. |
7,8 |
7 |
6 |
10 |
10 |
|
18. |
8,58 |
8,5 |
8 |
9,5 |
8 |
|
19. |
3,6 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
2,5 |
|
20. |
6,58 |
6,25 |
4 |
10 |
8 |
|
21. |
5,6 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
|
22. |
5,9 |
5 |
2 |
10 |
10 |
|
23. |
6,3 |
6 |
6 |
7 |
4,5 |
|
24. |
2 |
2,5 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
|
25. |
5,3 |
6 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
26. |
8,1 |
8 |
7 |
9 |
- |
|
27. |
8,25 |
8 |
7 |
10 |
8 |
|
28. |
8 |
8,25 |
6,5 |
9 |
9 |
|
29. |
9,3 |
9,5 |
8 |
10 |
10 |
|
30. |
4,83 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
8 |
Table 4. Subject’s view of his/her body
|
Unconscious Acceptance, % |
Unconscious Non-Acceptance, % |
||
|
Unconscious Acceptance |
Unconscious Non- Acceptance |
Unconscious Acceptance |
Unconscious Non- Acceptance |
|
26,6 |
3,3 |
60 |
10 |
Table 5. – The nature of care about appearance in subjects
|
Work on Body |
Group 1, % |
Group 2, % |
Group 3, % |
|
1 |
6,6 |
13,3 |
0,0 |
|
2 |
20 |
43,3 |
6,6 |
|
3 |
0,0 |
6,6 |
3,3 |
(χ² = 9,356, p > 0,05)
Table 6. Comparison of personality structure type and the unconscious accptance of body in the sample tested
|
Type of Ppersonal Organization |
View of Physical Image, % |
|
|
Acceptance |
Non-Acceptance |
|
|
Integrated |
40 |
13,3 |
|
Non-Integrated |
6,6 |
40 |
(χ² = 36,697, p < 0,01)
Table 7. – The nature of significant needs in subjects characterized by positive and negative attitude to their appearance
|
Needs |
Group 1, % |
Group 2, % |
Group 3, % |
|
Ambition |
3.0 |
10.0 |
0.0 |
|
Strength |
3.0 |
30.0 |
10.0 |
|
Affection |
0.0 |
20.0 |
20.0 |
|
|
0,0 |
3,0 |
0,0 |
(χ² = 21,958, p < 0,01)
Table 8. – Representation of categories characterizing features of perceiving by the subjects their own and other people's appearance in the sample subgroups
|
Category |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
|
Mentioning personality traits in appearance |
+ |
- |
- |
|
Denying the importance of appearance |
- |
+ |
- |
|
Contrasting the appearance and expression |
- |
+ |
- |
|
Symbolizing one’s appearance |
- |
+ |
+ |
|
Positive evaluation of the appearance features possessed by the subject |
+ |
+ |
- |
|
Comparing one’s own appearance with positive examples |
+ |
+ |
- |
|
Contrasting one’s own appearance and somebody else’s ones |
- |
+ |
- |
|
Criticizing other people’s appearance |
- |
+ |
- |
|
Adjusting one’s own appearance with the appearance of others |
+ |
- |
- |
|
Criticizing one’s appearance |
- |
- |
+ |
|
Indicating one’s positive appearance features/traits and counterbalancing them with negative ones |
+ |
- |
- |
|
Avoiding discussing appearance |
- |
+ |
+ |
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