#perception-of-bodies

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Psychology
fromPsychology Today
12 hours ago

Your Instinctual Drive Predicts What You Find Beautiful

Dominant motivational drives predict aesthetic preference with 77.6% accuracy, revealing a strong link between body responses and aesthetic choices.
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image Inheritance

Studies suggest that when mothers directly encourage their daughters to lose weight, it is linked to the development of bulimic symptoms. In fact, mothers who merely talk about dieting and body dissatisfaction are more likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder.
Women
fromHyperallergic
1 day ago

Nude Performance at MFA Boston Confronts One of Art's Oldest Tropes

Ibarra's performance shattered the historical designation of the nude woman as beautiful in art but vulgar in the flesh, challenging societal norms.
Arts
Philosophy
Society grapples with accepting mortality while simultaneously resisting control over death, creating a tension in attitudes toward life extension and end-of-life choices.
Fashion & style
fromIndependent
3 days ago

Tanya Sweeney: Cameron Diaz has accepted ageing, wrinkles and all - it's a pity the rest of society hasn't

Cameron Diaz's return to Hollywood exposes her to scrutiny over physical appearance, contrasting past beauty standards.
Digital life
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says people who use social media but never post about themselves have separated the value of staying informed from the cost of participating in the performance - and that quiet withdrawal isn't disinterest or insecurity, it's one of the most deliberate digital choices a person can make in an era that treats visibility as currency - Silicon Canals

Many social media users prefer to observe rather than participate, valuing privacy and learning over broadcasting their thoughts.
NYC LGBT
fromThe Atlantic
2 days ago

The Confessional Era of Plastic Surgery

Denise Richards openly shared her facelift journey, including preparation, recovery, and post-op photos, promoting transparency in cosmetic surgery.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
2 days ago

My Girlfriend Let Me Do Something That Totally Embarrassed Her. It's Unlocked Something in Me I Didn't Know Existed.

Exploring newfound kinks can enhance intimacy, but communication with partners is essential for healthy relationships.
Mindfulness
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

The Secret to Having a Good Vibe (That Others Can't Resist)

A seven-minute Buddhist practice can significantly improve feelings of connection and well-being towards others.
Women in technology
fromFast Company
3 days ago

Over a third of men have blamed a female colleague's behavior on 'hormones'

Women face significant workplace discrimination, including promotion disparities, pay gaps, and unfair health assumptions from male colleagues.
#body-image
Wellness
fromScary Mommy
5 days ago

What To Say When Someone Comments On Your Body, According To Therapists

Body comments can impact self-worth and anxiety, regardless of intention, highlighting the need for mindful communication about appearance.
Wellness
fromPsychology Today
5 days ago

Best Way to Have a Beach Body?

Body image improvement requires changing perceptions rather than the body itself, emphasizing self-acceptance and care for one's body.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Men and Body Image: The Hidden Struggle

Many men experience body image issues silently due to cultural expectations and stigma, leading to dissatisfaction and unhealthy behaviors.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 weeks ago

There is a particular loneliness in being a man whose body never matched the archetype he was taught to aspire to. Not because anyone was cruel about it, but because the world built its furniture, its expectations, and its respect around a size he would never reach. - Silicon Canals

Body image issues in men stem from societal expectations and architectural norms, leading to a profound, often unacknowledged loneliness.
fromQueerty
2 months ago
LGBT

I cringe every time I see my reflection. How do I stop comparing myself to someone I'm not? - Queerty

fromTODAY.com
2 months ago
Parenting

An 8-Year-Old Had a Meltdown Because Her Jeans Didn't Fit. Her Mom Responded in the Best Way

Wellness
fromScary Mommy
5 days ago

What To Say When Someone Comments On Your Body, According To Therapists

Body comments can impact self-worth and anxiety, regardless of intention, highlighting the need for mindful communication about appearance.
Wellness
fromPsychology Today
5 days ago

Best Way to Have a Beach Body?

Body image improvement requires changing perceptions rather than the body itself, emphasizing self-acceptance and care for one's body.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Men and Body Image: The Hidden Struggle

Many men experience body image issues silently due to cultural expectations and stigma, leading to dissatisfaction and unhealthy behaviors.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 weeks ago

There is a particular loneliness in being a man whose body never matched the archetype he was taught to aspire to. Not because anyone was cruel about it, but because the world built its furniture, its expectations, and its respect around a size he would never reach. - Silicon Canals

Body image issues in men stem from societal expectations and architectural norms, leading to a profound, often unacknowledged loneliness.
fromQueerty
2 months ago
LGBT

I cringe every time I see my reflection. How do I stop comparing myself to someone I'm not? - Queerty

fromTODAY.com
2 months ago
Parenting

An 8-Year-Old Had a Meltdown Because Her Jeans Didn't Fit. Her Mom Responded in the Best Way

#loneliness
Humor
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

There's a specific loneliness that belongs to the funny one in every friend group, the person everyone quotes but nobody asks how they're doing, because the performance that made them beloved also made them seem like they didn't need the question - Silicon Canals

The most visible individual in a group often experiences profound loneliness due to their performative social role as the comedian.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest form of love isn't being unloved its being adored for a version of yourself you've been performing so long that the real you has started to feel like the imposter - Silicon Canals

The worst loneliness is being loved for a false self that no longer exists.
Humor
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

There's a specific loneliness that belongs to the funny one in every friend group, the person everyone quotes but nobody asks how they're doing, because the performance that made them beloved also made them seem like they didn't need the question - Silicon Canals

The most visible individual in a group often experiences profound loneliness due to their performative social role as the comedian.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest form of love isn't being unloved its being adored for a version of yourself you've been performing so long that the real you has started to feel like the imposter - Silicon Canals

The worst loneliness is being loved for a false self that no longer exists.
Retirement
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology says the real reason being over 60 is so hard isn't aging itself its that modern culture has no framework for dignity without productivity and once you stop producing economic value, you're left to privately work out whether you still matter, in a culture that quietly keeps telling you that you don't - Silicon Canals

Retirement often leads to an identity crisis as individuals struggle with the loss of purpose and societal expectations of productivity.
Social media marketing
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology says the people who look the wealthiest on Instagram often aren't the ones with money, they're the ones who got trapped in a performance they can't figure out how to stop without admitting who they've quietly become - Silicon Canals

Instagram serves as a stage for performance rather than a window into real lives, often trapping users in a cycle of impression management.
Medicine
fromPsychology Today
3 days ago

Move More, Stress Less

Parkinson's disease affects millions globally, with symptoms including motor and nonmotor issues, and may be managed through exercise and dietary changes.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

The people who grew up being described as the easy child are often the ones who, later in life, are quietly realizing they were never actually easy - they were just unseen - Silicon Canals

The label of 'easy child' often masks deeper issues of unmet needs and emotional neglect.
Exercise
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago

I tried to do a press-up and had an existential crisis | Adrian Chiles

Press-ups, once easy, became impossible after a long break, highlighting the impact of time on physical ability.
fromwww.npr.org
4 days ago

Want to lighten your mental load? First, let go of these gender myths

Ruppanner emphasizes that acknowledging and measuring the mental load can significantly reduce it. 'Once we see it, we can't unsee it. We can start to address it,' she states.
US news
fromArchDaily
5 days ago

Why Do We Want to Float? The Psychology of Lightness in Architecture

In 1962, the architect Buckminster Fuller envisioned a floating city that would free humanity from its dependence on the Earth. The speculative project consisted of enormous geodesic spheres that would naturally levitate in air warmed by the sun and be anchored to mountaintops.
Design
Austin
fromPsychology Today
5 days ago

The Emotional Cost of Becoming Someone New

Coping with life changes during a Ph.D. journey involves financial adjustments, emotional challenges, and personal growth.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
7 hours ago

Psychology says the people described as having a strong personality aren't dominant or difficult, they're the ones who stopped softening themselves to make every room comfortable, and what reads as intensity from the outside is just the absence of the apology most people are still adding to every sentence - Silicon Canals

People often misinterpret strong personalities as difficult, but they may simply be unafraid to express themselves without apology.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

The hardest thing about healing isn't the work itself. It's the quiet grief of realizing how many years you spent believing the problem was you, when the actual problem was an environment that needed you to believe that in order to keep functioning - Silicon Canals

Family systems may require a child to remain unwell for their own functionality, leading to grief and loss when the child realizes their true self.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says the people who find it hardest to be taken care of when they're sick aren't independent, they're carrying a very old belief that needing someone was the fastest way to be left - Silicon Canals

Needing care from loved ones during illness can evoke feelings of vulnerability and discomfort, often rooted in deeper fears of abandonment.
NYC LGBT
fromQueerty
2 days ago

This Drag Race alum is nearly unrecognizable in buff gym pics-but the glow-up doesn't stop there! - Queerty

Dusty Ray Bottoms has transformed her life post-Drag Race, focusing on fitness and performing in local theater after her initial season elimination.
#art
Arts
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Art, sex, nature: why is everything sold to us as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself?

Art should be valued for its own sake, not merely for its utilitarian benefits or health claims.
Arts
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Art, sex, nature: why is everything sold to us as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself?

Art should be valued for its own sake, not merely for its utilitarian benefits or health claims.
Mindfulness
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

When Life Stops: But Only for You

Illness disrupts not only physiology but also our entire sense of existence and future, leading to a profound confrontation with uncertainty and mortality.
Women in technology
fromIndependent
6 days ago

The dangers of extreme exercise: 'Bodybuilding took over my life - but I still kept telling myself I looked fat'

Aly Dowling overcame body image struggles to embrace exercise for its own sake in the competitive bodybuilding world.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

The people who were praised for being mature as children and punished for being needy as adults, and the decades it takes to untangle which one was actually true - Silicon Canals

Maturity in children often reflects adult expectations, leading to long-term consequences for the child's emotional development.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
1 day ago

The Freedom of Accepting That Not Everyone Will Accept You

Exhaustion can stem from seeking validation from someone who is emotionally inconsistent and untrustworthy.
Relationships
fromEsquire
2 days ago

My Life with a Micropenis

Less than one percent of men have a micropenis, which significantly impacts their self-esteem and dating experiences.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
3 days ago

Can an Artwork Have Personhood?

Contemporary artists are blurring the lines between human and nonhuman, raising questions about personhood and the implications of art interactions.
Social media marketing
fromBustle
1 week ago

The Men Optimizing Their Faces - And Judging Yours

Looksmaxxing promotes extreme body image ideals, leading to toxic behaviors and attitudes towards self-worth and attraction.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

Psychology says the unhappiest men in any room aren't the ones who complain - they're the ones who've become so skilled at performing contentment that they've lost the ability to locate their own actual feelings beneath the performance - Silicon Canals

Many men mask their true feelings behind a facade of competence and ease, leading to emotional disconnection and confusion about their own emotions.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

I'm 34 and I just noticed that I've been describing my own life to friends in the same tone I'd use to describe someone else's, and that distance turned out to be the actual problem, not the events I was describing - Silicon Canals

Self-distancing can help manage emotions, but relying on it too much can create a disconnect from one's own life experiences.
Exercise
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago

I Spent Years Sculpting My Ripped, Muscular Body. I Love It. My Husband Does Not.

Prioritize your body autonomy and communicate boundaries regarding weight changes for a partner's fetish.
Philosophy
fromPsychology Today
6 days ago

Why Hybrid Sovereignty Starts Inside

Hybrid sovereignty connects strategic autonomy to the cognitive and ethical architecture of people, emphasizing the importance of human judgment in an AI-driven world.
Women in technology
fromwww.theguardian.com
6 days ago

Are you a woman who makes life easier for everyone else? Beware you could endanger your health | Emma Beddington

Women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune diseases, with societal pressures complicating their health and well-being.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

The people who are constantly checking in on everyone else aren't necessarily nurturing. Many of them are quietly running an experiment to see if anyone will ever check in on them unprompted, and the experiment has been returning the same result for decades - Silicon Canals

Constantly reaching out to others can stem from childhood experiences of needing to earn attention.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says deep thinkers don't realize the reason they feel disconnected from their own life isn't depression - it's that observation became a shelter they forgot how to leave - Silicon Canals

Chronic detachment often misdiagnosed as depression or stress may stem from a learned behavior of observing rather than experiencing life.
#beauty-standards
fromIndependent
3 weeks ago
Television

How we ALL bought into looksmaxxing: There's nothing new about the extreme pursuit of physical perfection - just ask the contestants of The Swan

fromIndependent
3 weeks ago
Television

How we ALL bought into looksmaxxing: There's nothing new about the extreme pursuit of physical perfection - just ask the contestants of The Swan

fromIndependent
2 weeks ago

Tanya Sweeney: I'll never be a size 8 again, and I don't care how I look naked - my desire to move more and eat well is now finally rooted in health, not looks

After a bumpy first couple of weeks, which shamefully involved a few tears on a rowing machine, I began to hit my stride.
Exercise
Psychology
fromMail Online
2 days ago

'Meathead' stereotype is WRONG! Muscular men tend to be intelligent

Intelligent young men often possess masculine body shapes, showing a link between physical traits and intelligence.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

I'm 37 and I finally understand why I keep saying yes to things I want to say no to - psychology calls it "fawning" and once you see it you can't unsee it - Silicon Canals

Fawning behavior leads to difficulty in saying no, causing resentment despite self-awareness and understanding of its irrationality.
#aging
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

Psychology says the most isolating part of getting older isn't having fewer people around you - it's having fewer people who knew you when you were whole and fast and full of plans, because the version of you that exists in other people's memory is shrinking at the same rate as the guest list, and one day you'll be the only person alive who remembers what you were capable of - Silicon Canals

The hardest part of aging is losing connections to those who remember different versions of ourselves.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says the hardest truth about aging isn't that your body slows down - it's that you become invisible in rooms you used to command, and most people never acknowledge this shift because it implies something they're not ready to admit about how much of their identity was built on being seen - Silicon Canals

Aging invisibly is a significant issue, where older individuals feel unnoticed and undervalued in social contexts.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

Psychology says the most isolating part of getting older isn't having fewer people around you - it's having fewer people who knew you when you were whole and fast and full of plans, because the version of you that exists in other people's memory is shrinking at the same rate as the guest list, and one day you'll be the only person alive who remembers what you were capable of - Silicon Canals

The hardest part of aging is losing connections to those who remember different versions of ourselves.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says the hardest truth about aging isn't that your body slows down - it's that you become invisible in rooms you used to command, and most people never acknowledge this shift because it implies something they're not ready to admit about how much of their identity was built on being seen - Silicon Canals

Aging invisibly is a significant issue, where older individuals feel unnoticed and undervalued in social contexts.
Mindfulness
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Beyond Vanity: Feeling Attractive in Midlife

Midlife changes prompt self-reflection, leading to a desire for self-care and alignment with true self rather than mere vanity.
fromQueerty
2 weeks ago

What's your opinion on body hair? - Queerty

In the '70s, the 'Castro Clone' aesthetic pushed a hyper-masc look that involved snug Levis, tight T-shirts and plenty of mustaches and fur.
NYC LGBT
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Some people who appear completely unbothered by criticism haven't stopped caring what others think. They've just moved the audience inside, and now they answer to a version of themselves that never gives them a day off - Silicon Canals

Internalized criticism often masquerades as resilience, leading to preemptive self-critique before external feedback is received.
Women in technology
fromFast Company
3 weeks ago

The cosmetic surgery industry is mainly built for women. So why is it run by men?

Leadership in the aesthetics industry is predominantly male, despite women being the primary consumers and decision-makers.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says the people who finally meet themselves in their 60s and 70s aren't reinventing anything, they're meeting the original person who got buried under decades of being useful to everyone else, and the relief they feel is recognition, not discovery - Silicon Canals

Retirement can lead to self-discovery, revealing the original self buried under roles and responsibilities.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says a woman has a beautiful soul if she has taken real pain and turned it into gentleness rather than armor - because the default response to being hurt is becoming harder, and the woman who went through the same things and came out softer instead has done something rare and almost impossible to teach - Silicon Canals

Pain can lead to gentleness, with some individuals choosing softness over hardness despite their hardships.
Mindfulness
fromSilicon Canals
3 weeks ago

The older I get the more I notice that my body remembers arguments my mind has forgiven. A tone of voice, a specific pause before someone speaks, a door closing at a certain speed. Forgiveness turned out to be a cognitive event that the nervous system never agreed to. - Silicon Canals

Forgiveness involves both conscious decisions and unconscious bodily responses, highlighting the complexity of emotional healing beyond mere intention.
Women in technology
fromInsideHook
3 weeks ago

Why Wanting a Pilates Woman May Be a Bad Thing

Pilates popularity has surged, influencing men's preferences for women who practice it, linked to the manosphere's misogynistic ideals.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

The quietest kind of exhaustion belongs to people who translate themselves into a different version for every social context in a single day, and by evening they aren't tired from activity, they're tired from the number of identities they had to maintain - Silicon Canals

Identity-switching fatigue is a modern epidemic caused by the need to perform different roles throughout the day.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
2 weeks ago

There's a kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how much you did today and everything to do with how many versions of yourself you performed. The tiredness isn't physical. It's the weight of translation between who you are privately and who each room requires you to become. - Silicon Canals

Exhaustion often stems from the cognitive load of managing multiple identities rather than just physical effort or workload.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

Psychology says people who are liked by everyone but have no close friends have perfected the art of being liked without ever being known - and the distance between those two things is where their loneliness actually lives, invisible to everyone who enjoys their company and unbearable to the person providing it - Silicon Canals

Mastering likability can lead to isolation, as it prevents genuine connections and vulnerability with others.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

There's a specific kind of adult who apologizes for crying even when they're alone, and it isn't sensitivity, it's the residue of a childhood where emotion was something you were expected to clean up before anyone saw the mess - Silicon Canals

Adults who were invalidated in childhood often apologize for their emotions, reflecting deep-seated patterns of emotional suppression.
Women in technology
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

What Makeup Really Says About You (and What It Doesn't)

Makeup trends on social media suggest personality insights, but research shows these links are minimal and largely influenced by observers rather than wearers.
Running
fromIndependent
1 month ago

'Social media often shows athletes as the leanest version of themselves, but that's not always the best'

Emma Moore, a Galway 800m runner, overcame RED syndrome caused by unintentional under-fuelling during her first year at DCU and is now rebuilding her competitive form.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

If a woman who always wore makeup suddenly stops - not on a bad day, not when she's ill, but permanently - most people assume she's let herself go. What's actually happening is almost always one of these 7 shifts, and the last one is the one her family should pay attention to. - Silicon Canals

According to Mary Duh, a Physician Assistant in Dermatology at Mayo Clinic Health System, 'Makeup can be infected with bacteria after only one use.' Every time we reapply that favorite lipstick or dip back into our foundation, we're potentially spreading bacteria all over our faces. By avoiding foundation and blush, the skin is allowed to return to its natural oil balance and hydration.
Health
Right-wing politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

There is no shame in being vain': the relentless rise of impossible male beauty standards

Male political and cultural figures increasingly perform militaristic authority through carefully curated facial presentation and appearance, while men's faces face unprecedented public scrutiny previously reserved for women.
SF LGBT
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Why Do So Many Gay Men Hate Their Bodies?

Gay men experience significantly higher eating disorder rates than heterosexual men due to internalized shame, minority stress, and exposure to narrow beauty standards within their community.
#body-positivity
LGBT
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

How Stereotypes Inform the Way Gay Men See Themselves

Single, sexualized narratives about gay men create confirmation bias that reinforces limiting beliefs, reduces self-worth, and perpetuates caricatured media representations.
Wellness
fromenglish.elpais.com
2 months ago

When healthy living becomes repression

Emerging male-focused retreats and influencer-driven fitness culture emphasize strict discipline, hypermasculine rituals, and regimented wellness that can reshape men's identities and relationships.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

The Manconomy Has a Body Image Problem Nobody Is Naming

Eating disorders in men are increasing through fitness optimization and looksmaxxing culture, with warning signs disguised as discipline rather than recognized as disordered eating patterns.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Does Positive Body Image Alone Improve One's Sex Life?

Many people who struggle with sexual connection, low desire, or relationship satisfaction may not be struggling with the love they feel for a partner or the level of commitment they have to their romantic relationship(s). What they may secretly be challenged by is the lack of comfort and safety they have in their own skin.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

The Curious Geometry of the Lived Experience

This story is about complexity, advanced math, cognition, and machine computation. But hold on. For this exercise, my task is to take this complex idea and reduce it-to simplify it into something less daunting and (I hope) a bit easier to understand. So, let's take a step back. My bet is that most of us learned our first piece of geometry with two letters: x and y.
Philosophy
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Body Love Isn't Required for Eating Disorder Recovery

Body compassion, not body love, is the healthier recovery goal for eating disorder patients, as bodies inevitably change and self-worth should not depend on appearance.
Mental health
fromwww.bbc.com
2 months ago

I used to hate my appearance. Here's how I learned to accept it

Body Dysmorphic Disorder can severely disrupt daily life through obsessive preoccupation with perceived physical flaws, leading to isolation, compulsive behaviors, and significant emotional distress.
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