2020/08/07 by Linda Lin, Ashley Roberge, Mark A. Flynn · 1 citation
Psychology · #Eating Disorders and Behaviors #Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies #Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior #Praise #Criticism #Psychology #Romance #Developmental psychology #Social psychology #Psychoanalysis #Literature #Art
paper · doi:10.1080/08824096.2020.1796616
openalex publication_date 2020/08/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
This study examined the appearance-related praise and criticism men receive from specific sources and how feedback from those sources are related to men’s body dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia. Adult male participants from the United States completed online surveys measuring praise and criticism from specific sources, male body dissatisfaction, and muscle dysmorphia. Results suggested that men reported receiving highest levels of criticism from male peers and highest levels of praise from romantic partners. Criticism from female peers was more closely related to muscle dysmorphia than criticism from other sources. We also found that praise from romantic partners was linked with lower levels of muscle dysmorphia and body dissatisfaction, whereas praise from male peers was linked with higher levels of muscle dysmorphia and body dissatisfaction. The results of this study suggest that praise and criticism may have different relationships with men’s body image depending on the source of the praise and criticism.