William Atkins
Thursday, 20 November 2008 19:08
Science -
Health
Page 1 of 2
An Australian researcher has reported that skinny models actually sell fewer products than larger-sized models when seen by older women. Younger women don’t have a preference when it comes to model size.
Australian psychologist
Phillippa Diedrichs, at the University of Queensland, Australia, conducted what is considered to be the first empirical research study into how women perceive advertisement as it relates to the size of the model and how willing these female consumers are to buy products based on the size of the model.
Diedrichs found that images of really-really-thin models (you know, those supermodel type models that look like they haven’t eaten anything but jell-o and flavored water in three months) as seen in television ads and other such advertisements do not encourage young women to buy products they are selling.
In fact, such ultra-thin (anorexic looking) models actually discourage most adult female consumers from buying such products.
Diedrichs found that the regular-sized and plus-sized models (you know, those models that accurately represent the vast majority of women across the world) had the opposite effect: when they modeled for the advertising of products, it actually encouraged women to buy the products.
For the study, Diedrichs, a post-graduate student in the University of Queensland’s Department of Psychology, showed a series of advertisements that she had created herself for such products as shampoo (hair care), party dresses, and underwear.
She then showed 400 young female participants the advertisements, once with a regular sized model (size eight) and again with a plus-sized model (size 12).
The conclusions of the Diedrichs study follows on page two.
