Drawing from a sociocultural perspective, the authors examine the influences of gender and concern and perception of appearance on a variety of dependent variables in four different studies. Although appearance concern affects the attitudes and behaviors of both men and women, gender often moderates the strength of these relationships. Several of the authors’ findings have important consumer welfare implications. Specifically, they argue that sociocultural norms pertaining to appearance encourage women to engage in potentially harmful behaviors, such as eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and intentional sunbathing, to a larger degree than men.
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