Men Critical of Their Bodies are Less Hopeful About Finding Love

Does a man’s confidence in his appearance affect his optimism when it comes to finding a new partner?

Conducted by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, a study found men who frequently survey and judge their own body show higher levels of body shame and tend to be less hopeful about the prospects of a romantic or social coupling.

Researchers studied 227 college-aged men in regards to their personal objectification and level of body shame and explored so-called body surveillance, or checking out one’s own self as a sexual object.

“Men who frequently judge their body tend to

be less hopeful about romantic prospects.”

Participants were asked how often they view themselves as a sexual object, gauging their body only by how it looks as opposed to other factors like overall health.

As part of the study, respondents were also surveyed using the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale and the Adult Trait Hope Scale. The latter tracks how a person both determines their goals and then sets out to achieve them.

Prior research in the field of body image suggests men who are dissatisfied with their physical form are more likely to over-exercise and even abuse steroids.

Men have also been found to associate a higher degree of stigma and shame to seeking treatment for their body image issues, including depression or eating disorders.

Source: The University of Nebraska at Lincoln.