THE IDENTIFICATION OF BODY BUILD STEREOTYPES IN YOUNG-CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to extend to young children the application of semantic differential procedures in the identification of body build stereotypes. Kindergarten through fourth grade children (N = 368) rated thin, average, and chubby body build drawings of children using 12 bipolar adjectives. Multiple discriminant analysis revealed three distinct body build stereotypes represented by two statistically significant functions. Data supported an unfavorable perception of the chubby body build stereotype and a favorable perception of the average body build. The thin stereotype emerged as a combination of the socially desirable traits identified with the average build stereotype and the negative physical capability traits associated with the chubby build stereotype. Subsequent gender by grade by stereotype analyses of variance showed gender differences for the thin body stereotype, revealing a more positive view of the socially desirable traits of the thin stereotype by girls than by boys. Follow-up contrasts and trend analyses by grade indicated that the thin stereotype remains constant across age while the unfavorable perception of the chubby stereotype appears between first and second grade. The socially desirable traits of the average stereotype become less distinct with age. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.