Date of Award
1-1-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Psychology
First Advisor
Joseph D. Wellman
Second Advisor
Joseph D. Wellman
Third Advisor
Grace Rivera
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Discrimination against individuals with higher body weights is prevalent in and outside of the US (see Pearl et al., 2021), yet research on this topic is limited when considering non-US perspectives. Cross-cultural studies had not yet explored the impact of cultural norms around weight. In the domain of anti-fat attitudes, cross-cultural research had explored variations in the negative cultural value of fatness (NCF) and its impacts across countries (Crandall et al., 2001). Incorporating this perspective, Study 1 examined how perceived weight discrimination (PWD) and NCF uniquely predict various well-being outcomes across two different countries among individuals who identified as overweight. Greater gender differences in well-being in Portuguese individuals when compared to Americans were in part accounted for by Portuguese women’s higher PWD and NCF compared to Portuguese men. Whereas, when there were gender differences among Americans, the discrepancy was not as large, relative to that observed among the Portuguese. Study 2 compared a Mexican and an American sample. It confirmed that higher PWD and NCF were again associated with worse well-being among women than men, however, those pathways did not differ based on nationality. Study 2 also explored Self-Objectification, and Machismo/Caballerismo as other potential mechanisms explaining the gender differences within nationality in well-being. Overall results highlighted the importance of NCF as a weight stigma construct that influences well-being and the importance of exploring weight stigma cross-culturally.
Recommended Citation
Zaidan, Ana Clara Vieira, "Weight Discrimination and the Negative Cultural Value of Fat: The relationship to well-being across higher weight individuals of different nations" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2985.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2985