1996/01/01 by Donald A. Williamson · 2 citations
Psychology · #Eating Disorders and Behaviors #Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies #Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
paper · doi:10.1080/10640269608250075
openalex publication_date 1996/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Research on cognitive biases associated with body dysphoria and the eating disorders is reviewed. Evidence for an attentional bias for body- and food-related information has been established in a number of studies. Three experiments have reported a memory bias for “fat” words. Two studies have reported a selective interpretational bias to ambiguous situations describing body size and shape. Body size overestimation is conceptualized as being similar to judgment bias. Extreme preference for thinness is conceptualized as an anchoring bias, which gradually develops into overvalued ideation. It is argued that research on body image could be enhanced by conceptualizing body image disturbances as a form of cognitive bias.