We have been warned of the impact of violent video games and sexually aggressive song lyrics. But little attention has been paid to another media phenomenon that may influence its fans to think and act in unwanted ways. Psychological danger may lurk between the covers of that beach book. Reading “chick lit” may lead women to think of themselves as less attractive and express more concern about their weight. That’s the conclusion of new research from Virginia Tech, published in the journal Body Image. As co-authors Melissa Kaminski and Robert Magee note, previous research has ... Read More
Thinner Wife, Happier Marriage
January 12, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Ladies: Are you nervously watching your weight to stay attractive for your husband or boyfriend? Well, put down those salad forks. It turns out you don’t have to starve yourself — unless he’s doing so, too. A study just published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science finds a correlation between weight (as measured by body mass index, or BMI) and marital satisfaction. But the key variable is the relationship between the spouses’ BMIs. It seems a couple is more likely to experience marital bliss when the wife is at least somewhat thinner than her ... Read More
