Body talk and the internalization of the ideal body image: examination based on the tripartite influence model

TL;DR

This study explores how conversations about body image and exposure to idealized body images on the internet affect women's and men's body dissatisfaction and internalization of ideal body types.

Contribution

The study introduces the role of negative muscle talk in promoting the internalization of athletes' bodies among women and highlights gender differences in body talk effects.

Findings

Exposure to thin-ideal images online directly increases thin-ideal internalization in both genders.

Women's negative muscle talk is linked to increased internalization of athletes' bodies.

Men's negative fat talk correlates with increased internalization of athletes' bodies.

Abstract

Based on the tripartite influence model, this longitudinal study investigated the relationship between body talk and the internalization of ideal body images, mainly focusing on female university students. It was hypothesized that negative fat talk and positive body talk would interact with exposure to thin-ideal images on the internet to influence the internalization of the thin ideal, leading to body fat dissatisfaction among women. This study also tested the hypothesis that negative muscle talk—a form of body talk focusing on dissatisfaction with one’s muscularity—would be associated with the internalization of athletes’ bodies, which corresponds to a toned or mesomorphic physique, among women.

We conducted a two-wave longitudinal study over a 4-week interval with female (n = 386, mean age = 19.22 years) and male students (n = 216, mean age = 19.62 years) who completed self-report measures assessing frequency of body talk, the internalization of the thin ideal or athletes’ bodies, exposure to thin-ideal images on the internet, and body dissatisfaction.

Path analyses conducted separately by gender revealed no significant interaction between baseline body talk and exposure to thin-ideal images in predicting the internalization of the thin ideal four weeks later. However, exposure to thin-ideal images directly predicted increased internalization of the thin ideal for both genders after controlling for baseline levels. Exposure to thin-ideal images indirectly predicted body fat dissatisfaction through increased thin-ideal internalization among women. Additionally, baseline negative muscle talk was associated with increased internalization of athletes’ bodies for women only. Among men, baseline negative fat talk was positively related to the subsequent internalization of athletes’ bodies.

Negative fat talk and positive body talk did not moderate the effect of exposure to thin-ideal images on the internalization of the thin ideal. In contrast, exposure to thin-ideal images emerged as a significant factor in promoting the internalization of the thin ideal. Among women, negative muscle talk promoted the internalization of athletes’ bodies. These findings may advance future research in eating disorder pathology and media psychology.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-025-01444-2.

This study focused on the influence of three types of body talk: negative fat talk, which involves statements like “I feel so fat” to express dissatisfaction with body fat; negative muscle talk, reflecting frustration about not being muscular enough; and positive body talk, which reflects acceptance of one’s body and related lifestyle habits. A survey of 602 university students indicated that whether women engaged in negative fat talk was not associated with a subsequent increase in the internalization of the culturally promoted thin ideal (thin-ideal internalization) four weeks later. In contrast, women who were exposed to more thin-ideal depictions of the female body online were more likely to have greater thin-ideal internalization, which in turn increased their body fat dissatisfaction. Additionally, women who engaged more in negative muscle talk showed a greater increase in the internalization of athletes’ bodies, that is, a toned or muscular physique. Unlike women, men who engaged more in negative fat talk showed a greater increase in the internalization of athletes’ bodies. These findings revealed that, in addition to exposure to thin-ideal depictions, long known to increase body image concerns, engaging in body talk also contributes to these concerns.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-025-01444-2.

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