The Evaluation of Body Image through Emotionally Coloured Words in Muslim Girls with and without Hijab Cover Image

Evaluacija fizičkog izgleda putem emocionalno obojenih reči kod muslimanki pokrivenog i nepokrivenog stila oblačenja
The Evaluation of Body Image through Emotionally Coloured Words in Muslim Girls with and without Hijab

Author(s): Marija Tiosavljević, Dušanka Đurović
Subject(s): Gender Studies, Psychology, Islam studies
Published by: Филозофски факултет, Универзитет у Београду
Keywords: body image perception; emotionally coloured words; affective priming task; hijab;

Summary/Abstract: The main goal of this research was to examine the effect of body exposure on the evaluation of body image through emotionally coloured words in Muslims girls with and without hijab. The sample consisted of 60 female students divided into two groups. The sorting criterion was the way of dressing. The first group consisted of respondents who wear traditional Muslim clothing, hijab, while the second group of participants (also Muslim) were uncovered. In order to determine the effects of the experimental procedure, affective priming paradigm was applied. Two factors with two levels were included: PRIME (the photographs of slender and obese female figures) and TARGET (positive and negative words). Besides the experimental procedure, a General Questionnaire and the Body Satisfaction Questionnaire (BSQ) were administered. The results have shown a statistically significant interaction PRIME x TARGET (F=14.189; p<.001) but no significant effects of emotional valence of the prime or targets. The uncovered respondents significantly faster assessed the type of word after photographs of slim figures than after those of the obese. The results can be considered as an indicator of positive implicit attitudes of uncovered students towards this kind of visual material (slim figures), i.e. they indicate the acceptance and positive attitude towards media messages that promote the thin body shape as the ideal of beauty and attractiveness.

  • Issue Year: 18/2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 181-195
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Serbian