Psychology ETDs

Publication Date

Fall 11-13-2021

Abstract

The current study aimed to measure the immediate impact of various responses to Fat Talk on college women. Participants were given trait-level questionnaires followed by prompts to imagine a scenario in which they engaged in Fat Talk. Participants were presented with four counterbalanced audio response conditions followed by several single-item measures. Repeated-measures one-way ANOVAs examined the impact of response and significant differences in personal and relational factors across the four response conditions were found. A mixed-model ANOVA demonstrated that baseline variables did not impact participants’ reactions to the different Fat Talk responses. Finally, frequency of Fat Talk was correlated with body dissatisfaction, and the frequency of Fat Talk within a friendship was correlated with one’s own use of Fat Talk. These results indicate that some responses may be more effective than others as far as their impact on personal and relational factors.

Degree Name

Psychology

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Psychology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Jane Ellen Smith

Second Committee Member

Elizabeth Yeater

Third Committee Member

Sarah Erickson

Language

English

Keywords

body image, fat talk

Document Type

Thesis

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