Body Characteristics in Relation to Life Adjustment, Body-Image and Attitudes of College Females

Abstract

A comprehensive inquiry was made into psycho-physical and self-perception phenomena through innovative methods. Graphic somatometry and judges' ratings provided data on body characteristics, a scaled Personal Inventory derived data on self-perceptions, and the Bell Adjustment Inventory measured personal characteristics. Correlation coefficients, chi-square tests, and z-score patterns were used to analyze data from 91 Ss. A few relations between body characteristics and adjustment were found and some relations between posture and adjustment, but body type showed no significant relations for the group although relations were clear in individual cases. There was definite dissatisfaction with the body, with personal impressions of figure being influenced by impressions of posture, and this dissatisfaction was related to two adjustment variables, namely, home adjustment and health adjustment. The pattern of z scores for figure and posture characteristics and adjustment, of the high-figure-impression group differed from that of the low group. A major conclusion was that intervening variables of body-image and self-perception must be examined if the relationship between body and personality is to be clarified.