The role of self-objectification, gender role orientation, perfectionism, and reasons for exercise in male body dissatisfaction

This study explored the interrelationships between self-objectification, body dissatisfaction, gender role orientation, perfectionism, and reasons for exercise. A questionnaire assessing each of these constructs was completed by 149 male participants (M = 30.28 years) who exercised regularly. Self-objectification showed positive correlations with appearance management reasons for exercise, negative femininity, and intrapersonal perfectionism. Dimensions of body dissatisfaction showed positive correlations with self-objectification, appearance management reasons for exercise, and intrapersonal perfectionism. Appearance management reasons for exercise were found to mediate the relationship between self-objectification and dissatisfaction with muscularity, but not the relationship between self-objectification and dissatisfaction with leanness. Conversely, health management reasons for exercise were negatively related to both self-objectification and dissatisfaction with overall appearance. Regression analyses showed that appearance management reasons for exercise were the strongest predictor of both self-objectification and dissatisfaction with overall appearance. It was therefore speculated that appearance management exercise represented a negative behavioural consequence of self-objectification, whereas health management exercise could serve as a protective factor against self-objectification and body dissatisfaction.