Obesity as a Social Signal
Author Information
Author(s): Mankar Manasee, Joshi Radhika S., Belsare Prajakta V., Jog Maithili M., Watve Milind G.
Primary Institution: Abasaheb Garware College, Pune, India
Hypothesis
Do body proportions, particularly abdominal obesity, serve as signals revealing personality traits?
Conclusion
The study found that body proportions are perceived to reflect personality traits, suggesting that social selection may have influenced the biology of obesity.
Supporting Evidence
- Respondents consistently attributed specific body forms to 29 out of 30 personality traits.
- A centrally obese figure was perceived as 'lethargic, greedy, political, money-minded, selfish and rich'.
- Body form and abdominal obesity influenced personality trait choices independently in most cases.
- Gender of the respondent did not significantly influence the choice for 26 out of 30 traits.
Takeaway
People think that how fat or fit someone looks can tell them about that person's personality, like if they're lazy or greedy.
Methodology
Respondents viewed faceless drawings of male body forms and assigned personality traits to them based on a list of adjectives.
Potential Biases
The sample was homogeneous in age and education, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Limitations
The study was limited to male body forms due to social constraints and taboos regarding female body forms.
Participant Demographics
222 respondents, aged 18-22, consisting of 140 females and 82 males, all science students.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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