Beyond desirable : Preferences for thinness and muscularity are greater than what is rated as desirable by heterosexual Australian undergraduate students

Journal article

Talbot, Daniel and Mahlberg, Justin. (2022). Beyond desirable : Preferences for thinness and muscularity are greater than what is rated as desirable by heterosexual Australian undergraduate students. Australian Psychologist. 57(2), pp. 105-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2022.2033951

Publication dates
Authors	Talbot, Daniel and Mahlberg, Justin
Abstract	Objective The present study sought to examine self-ratings of actual and ideal bodies, as well as attractiveness ratings of other bodies in an Australian undergraduate sample. Additionally, associations between body preferences and self-body ratings in men and women were explored. Method Five-hundred-and-seventy heterosexual men and women selected their actual and ideal body, and the body they found most attractive utilizing bi-dimensional figural rating scales. Results Results showed that on average both men and women wanted to have less body fat and more muscularity than they perceived that they had. Additionally, results showed that women’s body fat ideals are thinner than men prefer, but their ideal muscularity was congruent with what men selected as most attractive. Men, however, showed exaggerated thinness and muscularity compared to female preferences. Results also showed small to moderate positive correlations between both men and women’s perceived actual body, and the body they found most attractive in a different gender for body fat and muscularity, respectively. Conclusions These results add to the evidence of discrepancy between perceived actual and ideal bodies for men and women, and ideal bodies and what is attractive to others. Additionally, results highlight the significance of perceived body characteristics in influencing attraction.
Keywords	body image; preferences for thinness and muscularity; Australian undergraduate student body ratings; body ratings of attraction in another gender; actual and ideal body ratings
Year	2022
Journal	Australian Psychologist
Journal citation	57 (2), pp. 105-116
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
ISSN	0005-0067
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)	https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2022.2033951
Scopus EID	2-s2.0-85126003500
Page range	105-116
Publisher's version	License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled
Output status	Published
Online	06 Mar 2022
Publication process dates
Accepted	17 Jan 2022
Deposited	13 Jun 2025
Additional information	© 2022 Australian Psychological Society.

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