October 28, 2005
Paper: Evolving Ideals of Male Body Image
as Seen Through Action Toys
by Harrison G. Pope, Jr., Roberto Olivardia, Amanda Gruber, and John Borowiecki
[Excerpt] Abstract: Objective: We hypothesized that the physiques of male action toys — small plastic figures used by children in play — would provide some index of evolving American cultural ideals of male body image....Our observations appear to represent a “male analog” of earlier studies examining female dolls, such as Barbie. Together, these studies of children’s toys suggest that cultural expectations may contribute to body image disorders in both sexes.
Key words: male body image; male action toys; body image disorders
A growing body of literature has described disorders of body image among men. For example, such disturbances are frequently documented in men with eating disorders. In one study, college men with eating disorders reported a degree of body dissatisfaction closely approaching that of women with eating disorders, and strikingly greater than comparison men.. Other studies of men with eating disorders have produced similar findings. Even in studies of male students without eating disorders, the prevalence of body dissatisfaction is often striking...Body image disturbances may be particularly prominent in American culture...
via Growing Up Sexually Listserv
[illus Hulk Slot Machine\ not from the paper or commercial]
~Lately one of the cable tv channels has been promoting The Incredible Hulk movie. In the commercial as an announcer speaks we see a man turn into a green monster; there's a cut or two or four and we see the man this time haltingly explain how something comes over him ..."I turn into this monster... "I LIKE IT!", as again we see him turn into the Hulk.
I forgot the exact wording or if he mentions rage or anger.