The Impact of Cosmetic Surgery Advertising on Swiss Women’s Body Image and Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery
Abstract
Abstract. International concern has been expressed about advertising for cosmetic surgery (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons [BAAPS], 2005, 2008). A recent study showed that exposure to such advertising resulted in a more negative body image and attitudes toward surgery among women living in the UK (Ashikali, Dittmar, & Ayers, 2015). This study investigates the impact of cosmetic surgery advertising on women living in Switzerland, a country with relatively little advertising for cosmetic surgery. A group of 145 women (mean age 23.07) were exposed to advertising for cosmetic surgery containing either discount incentives, risk information, no additional information, or to the control condition. Exposure to advertising for cosmetic surgery resulted in increased dissatisfaction with both bodyweight and appearance. Highly materialistic women perceived such surgery as being less beneficial to their image when exposed to advertising for cosmetic surgery as well as when exposed to risk information rather than discount incentives. Moreover, appearance-dissatisfied women considered surgery to a lesser extent when exposed to risk information compared to discount incentives. Our findings highlight the need for research examining the impact of cosmetic surgery media, the content of advertising for cosmetic surgery as well as cultural variability.
References
2016). 2015 plastic surgery statistics report. Retrieved from https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/plastic-surgery-statistics
(2012). The effect of priming materialism on women’s responses to thin-ideal media. British Journal of Social Psychology, 51, 514–533. doi 10.1111/j.2044-8309.2011.02020.x
(2015). The impact of advertising for cosmetic surgery on women’s body image and attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. Psychology of Popular Media Culture. doi 10.1037/ppm0000099
(2008). Surgeons “name and shame” inappropriate cosmetic surgery ads. Retrieved from http://baaps.org.uk/about-us/press-releases/405-surgeons-name-and-shame-inappropriate-cosmetic-surgery-ads
(2014). Cut it out: Surgery societies and Britain’s largest surgical royal college slam summer discount. Retrieved from http://baaps.org.uk/about-us/press-releases/1958-cut-it-out-surgery-societies-an d-britain-s-largest-surgical-royal-college-slam-summer-discounts
(2015). The wrong reason to pucker up on Valentine’s Day. [Press release] Retrieved from http://baaps.org.uk/about-us/press-releases/2071-the-wrong-reaseon-to-pucker-up-on-valentine-s-day
(2016). SUPER CUTS Daddy makeovers and celeb confessions: Cosmetic surgery procedures soar in Britain. Retrieved from http://baaps.org.uk/ about-us/audit/2268-super-cuts-daddy-makeovers-and-celeb-confessions-surgery- procedures-soar-in-britain
(2007). The influence of plastic surgery “reality TV” on cosmetic surgery patient expectations and decision making. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 120, 316–324. doi 10.1097/01.prs.0000264339.67451.71
(2005). Cosmetic surgery: A common and accepted form of self-improvement? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35, 2012–2018. doi 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2005.tb02207.x
(unpublished). The impact of video games on body image.
(2009). How do “body perfect” ideals in the media have a negative impact on body image and behaviors? Factors and processes related to self and identity. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 28, 1–8. doi 10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.1
(2005). Body dysmorphic disorder and the liposuction patient. Dermatologic Surgery, 31, 559–560. doi 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2005.31161
(2006). The role of appearance-related self-discrepancies for young adults’ affect, body image, and emotional eating: A comparison of fixed-item and respondent-generated self-discrepancy measures. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 447–458. doi 10.1177/0146167205284005
(2005). Acceptance of cosmetic surgery: Scale development and validation. Body Image, 2, 137–149. doi 10.1016/j.bodyim. 2005.03.003
(2010). The content of cosmetic surgery advertisements placed in large city magazines, 1985–2004. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 32, 41–57. doi 10.1080/10641734.2010.10505284
(2011). ISAPS International Survey on Esthetic/Cosmetic Procedures Performed in 2010. Retrieved from http://www.isaps.org/isaps-global-statistics-2011.html
(1996). Further examining the American dream: Differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 280–287. doi 10.1177/0146167296223006
(2009). Correlates of young women’s interest in obtaining cosmetic surgery. Sex Roles, 61, 158–166. doi 10.1007/s11199-009-9625-5
(2010). A correlational and experimental examination of reality television viewing and interest in cosmetic surgery. Body Image, 7, 165–171. doi 10.1016/j.bodyim.2009. 10.006
(2012). Emerging adults’ responses to a media presentation of idealized female beauty: An examination of cosmetic surgery in reality television. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 1, 209–219.
(2007). Effects of a reality TV cosmetic surgery makeover program on eating disordered attitudes and behaviors. Eating Behaviors, 8, 390–397. doi 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2006.11.016
(2001). Depression, anxiety and quality of life among scheduled cosmetic surgery patients: Multicentre prospective study. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 29, 177–180. doi 10.1054/jcms.2001.0213
(2009). Cosmetic surgery makeover programs and intentions to undergo cosmetic enhancements: A consideration of three models of media effects. Human Communication Research, 35, 1–27. doi 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2008.01336.x
(2005). A prospective, multisite investigation of patient satisfaction and psychosocial status following cosmetic surgery. Esthetic Surgery Journal, 25, 263–269. doi 10.1016/j.asj.2005.03.009
(1998). The psychology of cosmetic surgery: A review and reconceptualization. Clinical Psychology Review, 18, 1–22. doi 10.1016/S0272(97)00047-0
(2008). Psychological threat and extrinsic goal striving. Motivation and Emotion, 32(1), 37–45. doi 10.1007/s11031-008-9081-5
(2009). Cosmetic surgery reality TV viewership relations with cosmetic surgery attitudes, body image, and disordered eating. Annals of Plastic Surgery, 62, 7–11. doi 10.1097/SAP.0b013e31817e2cb8
(2002). Role of body dissatisfaction in the onset and maintenance of eating pathology: A synthesis of research findings. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53, 985–993. doi 10.1016/S0022-3999(02)00488-9
(2006). Annexe 2 au code de déontologie: Directives pour l’information et la publicité [Annex 2 to the Code of Conduct: Guidelines for information and publicity]. Retrieved from http://www.fmh.ch/files/pdf5/anhang_2_FR.pdf
(1986). The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) for assessment of restrained, emotional, and external eating behavior. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 5, 295–315. doi 10.1002/1098–108X(198602)5:2<295::AID-EAT2260050209>3.0.CO;2-T
(2006). Forecasting obesity to 2010. London, UK: Department of Health.
(