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Love Thyself Before Loving Others? A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Gender Differences in Body Image and Romantic Love

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Abstract

The present study was designed to explore the intersection of body esteem, romantic love, and gender through qualitative and quantitative analyses. Male (n = 107) and female (n = 113) undergraduates completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES), four Romantic Love Experiences Scale (RLES) subscales, and two open-ended questions about the interrelation between body esteem and relationships. For both genders, significant correlations emerged between the BES and RLES, suggesting a link between body experience and romantic relationships. Regression analyses indicated that two individual RLES variables (i.e., trust and jealousy) predicted body esteem for women but not for men. Qualitative data coding revealed that, compared to men, women were more likely to disclose that body image influenced sexual relations and that relationships affected their self-confidence. These findings illustrate the interpersonal dimensions of body image and highlight the value of quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

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Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Stephanie Busa, Kristin Peterson, Melissa Réaux-Dismukes, and Emily Hodges for their assistance with this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, MS 4235, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Suman Ambwani

  2. Department of Psychology, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55105, USA

    Jaine Strauss

Authors
  1. Suman Ambwani
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  2. Jaine Strauss
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suman Ambwani.

Appendix

Appendix

List of Themes

Q1: How do you think your body image has influenced your experiences (or lack of) in romantic relationships?

  1. 1.
    1. (a)

      Feeling confident about one’s body (or having good self-esteem) makes one more able to engage in relationships. (CONFIDENCE)

    2. (b)

      Feeling insecure (low confidence or self-esteem) makes one less able to engage in romantic relationships. (INSECURITY)

  2. 2.

    Body image affects the types of partners one might seek (influences partner choice). (CHOICE)

  3. 3.

    Negative experiences including jealousy, insecurity and fearing abandonment. (NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES)

  4. 4.

    Influential for quality of sexual relations (including body consciousness). (QUALITY OF SEX)

  5. 5.

    Body image has little or no influence on relationships. (NO INFLUENCE)

  6. 6.

    Body image only affects the start of relationships. (IMPORTANT AT THE BEGINNING)

  7. 7.

    Poor body image restricts romantic relationships (no explicit mention of confidence or self-esteem). (RESTRICTING)

Q2: How do you think your experiences in romantic relationships (or lack of) have influenced your body image?

  1. 1.
    1. (a)

      Romantic relationships enhance self-image/self-esteem or body image. (SELF-ESTEEM)

    2. (b)

      Lack of romantic relationships/experience can hinder self-image/self-esteem or body image. (HINDER)

  2. 2.

    Romantic relationships have little or no influence on body image. (LITTLE/NO INFLUENCE)

  3. 3.

    Partner behaviors (such as compliments or criticism) can influence body image. (PARTNER BEHAVIORS)

  4. 4.

    Desire for relationship leads to efforts to restructure body (diet/fitness). (EFFORTS)

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Ambwani, S., Strauss, J. Love Thyself Before Loving Others? A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Gender Differences in Body Image and Romantic Love. Sex Roles 56, 13–21 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9143-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9143-7

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