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Ml 48106 18 BEDFORD ROW, LONDON WC1R 4EJ, ENGLAND 8001763 K a r h o f f , N o r m a Ir e n e CLOTHING-RELATED ATTITUDES AND THE BODY IMAGE AS PERCEIVED AND EXPRESSED BY BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN The Ohio State University Ph.D. 1979 University Microfilms International300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 18 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4EJ, England CLOTHING-RELATED ATTITUDES AND THE BODY IMAGE AS PERCEIVED AND EXPRESSED BY BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Norma Irene Karhoff, Bo S., M.S The Ohio State University 1979 Reading Committee: Approved By Dr. Mary Lapitsky Dr. Lois E. Dickey / a. t / /Adviser / Dr. Gisela J. Hinkle School of Home Economic ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My eternal gratitude is hereby expressed to Professor Mary Lapitsky for her unending encouragement, generous assistance, and goodness of spirit during all phases of the research for and writing of this dissertation. Special gratitude also goes to Dr. Lois E. Dickey, Professor of Textiles and Clothing, and Dr. Gisela Hinkle, Professor of Sociology, for their gracious assistance. The 203 anonymous women who completed questionnaires needed for the study richly deserve a special assertion of appreciation for their cooperation. VITA 1957 ................... B.S., Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas 1959 ................... M.S., Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 1959-1968 ............. Instructor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor, Department of Home Economics, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas 1969-1974 ............. Assistant Professor and Chairman, Textiles and Clothing Division, School of Home Economics, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Textiles and Clothing Minor Fields: Sociology Higher Education TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................... ii VITA ............................................. iii LIST OF TABLES .................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES .............. xi Chapter I. INTRODUCTION................................. 1 Purpose in the S t u d y ...................... 5 Definition of T e r m s ...................... 11 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE........................ 13 Theoretical Framework...................... 13 Selected Aspects of the Body Image .... 16 Clothing and the Body Image............... 19 Clothing-Related Attitudes ............... 25 Conformity and Individuality in D r e s s ............................ 29 Modesty and Exhibitionism in Dress . 31 Femininity and Masculinity in D r e s s ................................. 32 Aestheticism and Functionalism in D r e s s ............................ 33 Constancy and Change in D re s s ......... 35 S u m m a r y ............................... 37 III. METHODOLOGY ................................ 38 Selection of S a m p l e ...................... 38 Women Belonging to Business Organizations ...................... 40 Female Faculty Members ............... i 41 Development of Instruments ............... 41 Clothing-Related Attitudes Measure . 42 Body Image Measure .................... 49 Impressions of Body Characteristics Measure ............................ 50 The Final Questionnaire Form, ............... 53 Collection of D a t a .............................. 53 Analysis of D a t a .......... 55 IV. PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA ........... 57 The Respondents: Descriptive Variables and Clothing-Related Attitudes....................................... 57 Occupational Group and Clothing- Related Attitudes .......................... 38 Educational Level and Clothing- Related Attitudes .......................... 58 Age and Clothing-Related A t t i t u d e s .................................. 61 Summary of Descriptive Variables and Clothing-Related Attitudes ....... 64 Relationships Between Clothing- Related Attitudes .......................... 67 Clothing-Related Attitudes and Satisfactions with the Body I m a g e ........... 70 Clothing-Related Attitudes and Characteristics of the Body I m a g e ........... 76 Characteristics of the Body Image as Expressed by the Business and Professional W o m e n ......................................... 76 Relationships Between the Clothing- Related Attitudes and Selected Visible Characteristics of the Body Image ......... 81 Summary of Relationships Between Clothing- Related Attitudes and Characteristics of the Body I m a g e ............................ 104 Clothing-Related Attitudes and the Relative Importance of Personal Attractiveness .... 106 V. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER S T U D Y ............. 110 Summary of Study ................................ 110 Findings in the I n v e s t i g a t i o n ................. 112 Conclusions in the S t u d y ....................... 117 Recommendations for Further Study ............. 127 APPENDIXES A. LETTER SENT TO PRESIDENTS OF BUSINESS WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS .......................... 129 v EXPLANATORY LETTERS SENT TO MEMBERS OF BUSINESS WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS AND ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN ........................ 131 QUESTIONNAIRE INCLUDING CLOTHING ATTITUDE SCALE, BODY IMAGE SCALE, AND SOME VITAL STATISTICS ....................................... 134 STATEMENTS IN CLOTHING ATTITUDE SCALE WHICH MEASURE SPECIFIC ATTITUDES AND RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL ATTRACTIVENESS ................................... 145 WEIGHT-HEIGHT RATIOS FOR WOMEN ................... 146 CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS FOR RELATION SHIPS BETWEEN CLOTHING-RELATED a t t i t u d e s 147 CORRELATIONS BETWEEN SATISFACTIONS WITH IMAGES OF BODY (TRUNK), LOWER EXTREMI TIES, UPPER EXTREMITIES, FACE AND HEAD, AND TOTAL BODY ••#••••••••• 149 DISTRIBUTION OF HEIGHTS OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE „ .............................. 150 CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN ASPECTS OF THE BODY I M A G E ............... 151 DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHTS OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE . ...................... 152 DISTRIBUTION OF THE WEIGHT-HEIGHT RATIOS OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE ............... 153 DISTRIBUTION OF THE THINNESS-TO- HEAVINESS OF BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE ........................................... 154 DISTRIBUTION OF THE BONE STRUCTURE OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL S A M P L E ............. 155 vi N. DISTRIBUTION OF THE FIRMNESS-FLABBINESS OF FLESH OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE 156 0. DISTRIBUTION OF THE SKIN COLORING OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE ............. 157 P. DISTRIBUTION OF THE HAIR COLORING OF THE BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE ............. 158 Q. DISTRIBUTION OF THE BODY TYPES OF BUSINESS WOMEN, ACADEMIC FACULTY WOMEN, AND FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE 159 R. RANKINGS OF CERTAIN ATTITUDE SCORES ACCORDING TO BODY TYPE TO SHOW TENDENCY FOR ENDOMORPH AND ALL MESOMORPH TYPES TO HAVE ATTITUDES IN MODESTY, EXHIBITIONISM, FEMININITY, MASCULINITY, AESTHETICISM, AND CHANGE WHICH CONTRAST WITH ATTITUDES OF AVERAGE-ENDOMORPH, ENDOMORPH-AVERAGE, AND ALL ECTOMORPH T Y P E S ......................... ' 160 BIBLIOGRAPHY .........." .................................... 161 vii LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page 1. RANGES, MEAN VALUES, STANDARD DEVIATIONS, AND RELATIVE RANKS OF SCORES FOR CLOTHING- RELATED ATTITUDES AS EXPRESSED BY WORKING WOMEN ..............