Moderators and Mediators in the Tendency toward Cosmetic Surgery: Media Influences, Appearance Perfectionism, and Appearance Investment

Abstract

This study examines the relationships among sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, perfect physical appearance, appearance investment and the tendency forcosmetic surgery. Data wascollectedfrom 631 students (male and female), aged between 18 and 49 years (M=21.83, SD=4.09). Results indicated that all of the predictors examined correlated with positive attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, worry about imperfection as one of perfectphysical appearance subscales moderated the relation between sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and appearance investment. Likewise, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance had a direct and indirect effect (via appearance investment) on the tendency forcosmetic surgery. That is, appearance investment partially mediated the association between media influences and attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. These findings suggest that a greater perfectionist tendency and a greater psychological investment in physical appearance among mass media messages about beauty predict more favorable attitudes toward cosmetic surgery.