Effects of gender identity manipulation of eating behaviours in males
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Date
01/06/2014Item status
Restricted AccessAuthor
Szewczyk, Olga
Metadata
Abstract
The present study investigates the effects of gender identity manipulation in males though
their choices of foods and healthy eating and exercise intentions.
203 participants were randomly assigned to one of the experimental conditions differing with
respect to false feedback given about their masculinity: feminine (threat), masculine
(affirmation), or no feedback (control). They were asked to complete an online questionnaire,
including measurements of gender identity, a food selection task, intentions to exercise and
healthy eating, and masculinity traits. A set of analyses revealed that participants in the threat
(T) condition opted on average for more masculine foods at dinner than did people in
affirmation (A) and control (C) conditions. The intensions to healthy eating were not
influenced by the gender identity manipulation, while marginally significant differences were
observed in exercise intention scores between participants in T and A. The current research
suggests that males experiencing a threat to their masculinity change some of their behaviours
in order to regain their sense of masculinity. This research can provide further evidence for
effects of gender identity manipulation, and help in developing and implementing
interventions aiming at changing attitudes about healthy lifestyle in males.