THE PHYSICAL SELF

Physical Self
– body, marvelous container and complex machine which we interface w/ our environment and
fellow beings
– concrete dimension, tangible aspects of the person that can be directly observed and examined

The Self as Impacted by the Body

Beauty
– combination of qualities such as shape, color, or form that pleases the aesthetic senses especially
the sight
– well dressed, elegant, good looking, attractive
Cultural Standard of Beauty
– product of diverse mix of culture and historical influences
1. Lip stretching – parts of Africa & South America
2. Accessories w/ henna for special occasions – India
3. Stretched earlobes & shaved head – Kenya
4. Avoid sun – Asia
5. Double tooth (Yaeba) – Japan
6. Stretched lips – Southern Ethiopia
7. Elongated necks – Thailand
8. Fat farms – Mauritania
9. Red clay skin & hair – Himba ppl of Northern Namibia
10. Scarification – Ethiopia's Karo Tribe
11. Face tattoos – Maori
12. Surgical bandages – Iran
13. Teeth Filing – Indonesia

Beauty – quality that gives pleasure

Inner Beauty – inner qualities
External Beauty – physical characteristics
Posture – proper position of the body when setting, walking
Proper Grooming – appropriate choice of wardrobes, correct body size and weight add to totality
of beauty
Body Types
1. Ectomorph – slender
2. Mesomorph – athletic
3. Endomorph – round body
Body Shapes
1. Hourglass – well-proportioned upper & lower bodies w/ narrow waist
2. Pear – large lower bodies & small upper bodies
3. Apple – bigger on top half w/ slim hips & large chest and stomach
4. Ruler/ Banana – waif-like thin

1. Rectangle –one of the most common, straight up and down, torso is fairly flat
2. Oval – more than 26% of guys, excess weight stored in the upper half of body, second most
common in UK
3. Triangle – third most common w/ 14% of population, carrying a little ecess weight around
the middle
4. Inverted Triangle – rarest w/ 5% of population, broad shoulders and carries excess muscle
5. Rhomboid – second rarest shape w/ 13% of population, well-built shoulders that protrude
slightly in comparison to the hips, johnny bravo

Body Image
– subjective picture or mental image of one’s own body/ perception of how our body looks
– closely related w/ self-esteem
– can affect our eating habits, behavior, and relationship w/ others

Positive Body Image – has a real perception of their body

Negative Body Image – a distorted perception of their shape and size, compares their body to
others
Objectification – most unfavorable outcome that comes along w/ physical or external types of
beauty

Men’s body image issues

1. Hair Loss
 2. Height
3. Feet Size
Factors that influence body image
1. Social Media
2. Beauty Magazines
3. Athletes and Sports Industry

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

– or BDD
– mental illness characterized by fixation on one or more self-perceived body flaws leading to
serious mental distress and inability to properly function socially

Body Image Disturbance – one of the most common clinical features attributed to eating
disorders

Eating Disorders – mental illnesses defined by abnormal dietary habits such as eating excessively
small or large amounts of food that have the potential to cause major physical and mental problems

Anorexia Nervosa
– intentionally starve themselves
– at least 15% below individual’s normal body weight
– intense fear of becoming fat
Bulimia Disorder
– binge eating followed by purging

Body image and surgery

Cosmetic Surgery – modifies and improves appearance of physical features
Plastic Surgery – repairs and restores lost, injured, defective, misshapen body parts
Cosmetics – whitening products