Abstract:
This research work investigated the role of social comparison, appearance related racism in predicting compensatory appearance management behaviors in university students. A sample of 300 students (114 males and 182 females) aged between 18-30 years was recruited from universities using convenient sampling. Standard instruments including social comparison scale (Allan & Gilbert, 1995) in-group colorism scale (Harvey et al., 2017) and body image concern inventory (Littleton et al., 2005) were used. Results indicated that Results indicated that social comparison was significantly associated with CAMBs suggesting that frequent comparisons with others may increase the likelihood of engaging in appearance- focused behaviors. Appearance-related racism was also positively related to CAMBs highlighting that experiences of color-based discrimination serve as a strong predictor of appearance concerns. Furthermore mediation analysis revealed that appearance-related racism partially mediated the relationship between social comparison and CAMBs indicating that discriminatory experiences intensify the impact of comparison processes on body image management. Gender differences were also observed with female students reporting higher levels of CAMBs compared to male students. Regression analysis confirmed appearance-related racism as a stronger predictor of compensatory appearance management behavior compared to social comparison. The findings underscore the importance of addressing both social comparison tendencies and discriminatory beauty standards in interventions aimed at promoting healthy body image among young adults. Practical implications for educators, counselors and policymakers are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.
