The Relationship Between Attachment Style, Ostracism and Body Dissatisfaction

The Relationship Between Attachment Style, Ostracism and Body Dissatisfaction

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Honors in Psychology, Rutgers University.

May 2011

Abstract

Previous research in social psychology has shown that body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for eating pathology. We set out to see if an individual’s attachment style could predict body dissatisfaction. We also intended to see if ostracism could predict a change in body dissatisfaction for individual attachment styles. We hypothesized that the insecurely attached would report higher body dissatisfaction, and would feel worse post ostracism. This effect would be seen by a positive change in BD. To test these predictions, participants were assigned to either ostracism or an inclusion condition within the computer game of Cyberball. They also were given the BSQ pre and post ostracism. Results indicated that there was a significant correlation between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance and BD. The ostracism manipulation did not result in the anticipated change in BD. Analyses did reveal that the interaction of attachment avoidance could predict a change in BD. Avoidance accounted for 10% of the variance. Anxiety measures did reveal that participants did not feel anxiety post ostracism. This may have impacted the lack of change in BD.

Introduction

Although there is a vast amount of knowledge written on the topic of eating disorders, there is a lack of information about the causal link between attachment style and body dissatisfaction. Given the numbers of persons afflicted with eating disorders the goal of this project is to shed light on the relationship between attachment body dissatisfaction and eating. Attachment style is a key to understanding our personality and how it shapes our perception of the world. (Bowlby ,1980). It dictates how we live our lives, interact with others, manage our relationships, and how we

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