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Appalachian psychology research receives media attention |
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Thursday, 05 April 2007 |
by KATIE ANN HENDERSON
Intern Sports Reporter
Research led by Appalachian State University psychology professors Dr. Denise Martz, Dr. Doris Bazzini and Dr. Lisa Curtin is making an impression on both the field of psychology and mass media.
The research team is studying a phenomenon called “fat talk,” a term coined by the University of Arizona anthropologist Mimi Nichter, meaning women’s tendency to derogate their bodies in the presence of other women.
“Fat talk is one of those things that everybody knows about, but it did
not have a name until recently,” Martz said. “That is why it is such a
big deal.”
Martz’s research team took a closer look at Nichter’s exploration of
fat talk, originally in middle and high school girls, and expanded it
to college women to study it using scientific methods.
The research began with Lauren Britton’s master’s thesis and Anni
LeaShomb’s honors thesis published in “Body Image: An International
Journal of Research” in May 2006, then featured in the online journal
ScienceDirect.com.
Findings showed that fat talk truly is a psychological norm, known by both males and females, Martz said.
Martz’s research team has been studying the topic for several years and
now are suddenly splashing across many major news and publishing
companies.
Appalachian’s research first appeared in the January 2007 issue of Allure Magazine.
News broadcasters, like MSNBC and Huffington Post, have also mentioned the research and the fat-talk phenomenon.
“Fat talk is normal and interesting,” Martz said. “But in my opinion, that is why it is also so unfortunate.”
Additionally, alumna Kate L. Tucker’s master’s thesis examined fat talk
in the lab where a trained confederate would self-derogate, self-accept
or self-aggrandize in front of the research participant.
Findings showed women would go along with the confederate, or engage in
fat talk, even if her own body esteem, as shown in a preliminary test,
was high.
“Fat talk is about reassurance and acceptance, not honesty,” Martz said. “Honesty could be dangerous.”
With the news rapidly spreading around the world, as it also appeared
in The Times of India, popular comedians picked it up as well.
Saturday Night Live mentioned the fat talk idea on the Weekend Update skit March 17.
However, the research has surprisingly not been subjected to serious mass criticism.
“It is interesting that it really is not getting much criticism, but I
think it is because people know it really does exist,” Martz said.
Feminist blogs that mention fat talk express concern for women being
locked into a vicious cycle, thinking you have to derogate your body
because everyone else does, and if you have a problem with your body
esteem, then it increases the problem, Martz said.
Additional research is currently taking place as Martz’s research team
further deciphers the details of the phenomenon as the media continues
to grab it up.
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