Importance Placed on Physical Attractiveness and Advertisement-Inspired Social Comparison Behavior Among Japanese Female and Male Teenagers

摘要

The primary objective of this study was to examine advertisement-inspired social comparison behavior among Japanese female and male teenagers. It was found that both females and males compared themselves with models in advertisements, although females engaged in the behavior more than males. Significant associations were also found between ad-inspired comparison behavior and the importance placed on physical attractiveness in social roles as well as the acceptance of artificial means of enhancing appearance. Public self-consciousness was the primary psychological construct found to be driving ad-inspired social comparison behavior.