Sociocultural Influences of Body Image Among Australian and Fijian Girls


Book Description

Despite a traditional emphasis on a large body size in Fiji, both Australian and Fijian girls' had relatively similar body image attitudes and weight change behaviours. However, in comparison to Australian girls, Fijian girls experienced conflicting messages about losing and gaining weight.




The Oxford Handbook of Eating Disorders


Book Description

Fully revised to reflect the DSM-5, the second edition of The Oxford Handbook of Eating Disorders features the latest research findings, applications, and approaches to understanding eating disorders. Including foundational topics alongside practical specifics, like literature reviews and clinical applications, this handbook is essential for scientists, clinicians, and students alike.




Adolescence and Body Image


Book Description

Body image is a significant issue for the majority of adolescents. Anxieties relating to body image can be crippling across both genders, their debilitating effects sometimes leading to mental health problems. This important book is the first of its kind to focus specifically on adolescents, providing a comprehensive overview of the biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors relating to the development of body image. It also provides a detailed review of the measures which can be taken to address body dissatisfaction. Discussing the role of culture, family, peers, schools, sport and media in stimulating a negative body image, the book also examines the different challenges faced by girls and boys as they grow. Eating disorders and body change strategies are also addressed, as well as the challenges faced by youngsters affected by conditions causing visible differences, such as hair loss in cancer patients.The book also presents original research, including the results from a large Australian study of the body image and associated health behaviours of adolescent boys, and the results of a study of current teaching practices relating to body image. Adolescence and Body Image will be ideal reading for students and researchers from a variety of fields, including developmental, health, and social psychology, sociology, and cultural and health studies. Professionals working with young people, whether in education, health promotion or any other allied discipline will also find this book an invaluable resource.




Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance


Book Description

This scholarly work is the most comprehensive existing resource on human physical appearance—how people’s outer physical characteristics and their inner perceptions and attitudes about their own appearance (body image) affect their lives. The encyclopedia’s 117 full-length chapters are composed and edited by the world’s experts from a range of disciplines—social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. The extensive topical coverage in this valuable reference work includes: (1) Important theories, perspectives, and concepts for understanding body image and appearance; (2) Scientific measurement of body image and physical attributes (anthropometry); (3) The development and determinants of human appearance and body image over the lifespan: (4) How culture and society influences the meanings of human appearance; (5) The psychosocial effects of appearance-altering disease, damage, and visible differences; (6) Appearance self-change and self-management; (7) The prevention and treatment of body image problems, including psychosocial and medical interventions. Chapters are written in a manner that is accessible and informative to a wide audience, including the educated public, college and graduate students, and scientists and clinical practitioners. Each well-organized chapter provides a glossary of definitions of any technical terms and a Further Reading section of recommended sources for continued learning about the topic. Available online via ScienceDirect or in a limited-release print version. The Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance is a unique reference for a growing area of scientific inquiry It brings together in one source the research from experts in a variety of fields examining this psychological and sociological phenomenon The breadth of topics covered, and the current fascination with this subject area ensure this reference will be of interest to researchers and a lay audience alike




The Wiley Handbook of Eating Disorders


Book Description

This groundbreaking two-volume handbook provides a comprehensive collection of evidence-based analyses of the causes, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders. A two-volume handbook featuring contributions from an international group of experts, and edited by two of the leading authorities on eating disorders and body image research Presents comprehensive coverage of eating disorders, including their history, etiological factors, diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and treatment Tackles controversies and previously unanswered questions in the field Includes coverage of DSM-5 and suggestions for further research at the end of each chapter 2 Volumes




Waisted: The Biology of Body Fat


Book Description

Waisted: The Biology of Body Fat outlines the fascinating, often misunderstood and sometimes controversial biology of fat, otherwise known as adipose tissue. It provides a comprehensive, evidence-based perspective on fat biology and its crucial role in human evolution, health, disease, and society. The content draws upon biomedical, epidemiological, social and evolutionary research to understand the striking relationship between body fat distribution and health outcomes. Using digestible analogies, real-world examples and images, it highlights the multi-faceted relationship between adipose biology and society. Waisted clearly conveys the key concepts and assumptions that can lead to negative perceptions of fat, and reframes these challenges to highlight the underappreciated importance of adipose tissue in humans. Waisted is an accessible yet in-depth exploration of the subject that is suitable for both specialists and non-specialists alike. It is a highly valuable resource for clinicians, health practitioners, biomedical researchers, and students who study adipose biology, obesity, and diseases related to fat dysfunction. This book also provides an interesting sociological and anthropological read for anyone who wants to gain a broader and deeper appreciation of the unique role that adipose tissue plays in human evolution and society, by considering how biological and social factors intersect.




Body, Self, and Society


Book Description

Anne E. Becker examines the cultural context of the embodied self through her ethnography of bodily aesthetics, food exchange, care, and social relationships in Fiji. She contrasts the cultivation of the body/self in Fijian and American society, arguing that the motivation of Americans to work on their bodies' shapes as a personal endeavor is permitted by their notion that the self is individuated and autonomous. On the other hand, because Fijians concern themselves with the cultivation of social relationships largely expressed through nurturing and food exchange, there is a vested interest in cultivating others' bodies rather than one's own.




Encyclopedia of Adolescence


Book Description

The period of adolescence involves growth, adaptation, and dramatic reorganization in almost every aspect of social and psychological development. The Encyclopedia of Adolescence, Three Volume Set offers an exhaustive and comprehensive review of current theory and research findings pertaining to this critical decade of life. Leading scientists offer accessible and easily readable reviews of biological, social, educational, occupational, and cultural factors that shape adolescent development. Issues in normative development, individual differences, and psychopathology/maladjustment are reviewed. Over 130 chapters are included, each covering a specific aspect or issue of adolescence. The chapters trace differences in the course of adolescence in different nations and among youth with different backgrounds.The encyclopedia brings together cross-disciplinary contributors, including academic researchers, biologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists and public policy experts, and will include authors from around the world. Each article features an in-depth analysis of current information on the topic, along with a glossary, suggested readings for further information, and cross-references to related encyclopedia articles. The volumes offer an unprecedented resource for all audiences, providing a more comprehensive understanding of general topics compared to other reference works on the subject.Available both in print and online via SciVerse Science Direct. Winner of the 2011 PROSE Award for Multivolume Reference in Humanities & Social Science from the Association of American Publishers; and named a 2012 Outstanding Academic Title by the American Library Association's Choice publication Brings together cross-disciplinary contributors, including developmental psychologists, educational psychologists, clinical psychologists, biologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, anthropologists and public policy experts Published both in print and via Elsevier's ScienceDirectTM online platform




Encyclopedia of Feeding and Eating Disorders


Book Description

The field of feeding and eating disorders represents one of the most challenging areas in mental health, covering childhood, adolescent and adult manifestations of the disorders and requiring expertise in both the physical and psychological issues that can cause, maintain, and exacerbate these disorders. The scope of the book is an overview of all the feeding and eating disorders from “bench to bedside”, incorporating recent changes introduced into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The aim is to present one of the first complete overviews of the newly defined area of feeding and eating disorders with respect to genetics, biology and neuroscience through to theory and its application in developing clinical approaches to the prevention and treatment of feeding and eating disorders.




Handbook of Diversity in Feminist Psychology


Book Description

"With the publication of the Handbook of Diversity in Feminist Psychology, the field of feminist psychology has achieved a new depth; the volume is a sophisticated and cutting-edge compendium that not only describes the state of the field, but also pushes its boundaries in important ways."----Sex Roles: A Journal of Research "Critical for all those who are in the field of psychology to own, refer to, and use. No longer are diversity and gender issues considered to be on the periphery as they once were....one would be remiss in not considering these factors in psychology." --Florence L. Denmark, PhD (From the Foreword) Author, Psychology of Women "FINALLY--A collection of work that is built on decades, if not centuries, of hard work from many feminists of color and our allies! This is one of the few books that delves deeply into the complex world of considering the human condition in cultural context, something psychology is only [relatively] recently trying to do. This book is a must have for anyone interested in feminism OR diversity issues. It is a great example of feminist multiculturalism and both fields (i.e., feminism and multicultural psychology) should consider it an example of how to merge theoretical orientations in a way that is fitting for real people. I LOVE this book!" --Geneva Reynaga-Abiko, Psy.D. This handbook presents a multicultural approach to diversity in feminist psychology. Provocative and timely, the text comprehensively discusses the cutting-edge of feminist discourse, covering major topics such as multicultural feminist theory, gender discrimination, aging, health and therapy, violence and harassment, politics and policy, and much more. The unique quality of this book is that each contributor brings her own cultural perspective, values, and concerns to her chapter. Special emphasis is also given to the intersectionality of minority identities such as race, ethnicity, social class, sexual preference, and other socially constructed status differences among women. Key Topics Discussed: Intimate partner violence: perspectives from ethnic groups in the United States Gender-transgressive sexual minorities HIV/AIDS among women of color and sexual minority women Psychological perspectives on older women, including transitions, cognitive functioning, and mental health Ethnicity, disordered eating, and body image Methodological and statistical issues in research with diverse samples Low-income women, women with disabilities, workers, and immigrants/refugees