Rejection may drive people to cosmetic surgery

Looks which evoke negative comments or rejection may induce men and women to go in for cosmetic surgery, according to a recent study.

The study examined the role of appearance-based rejection sensitivity, the tendency to anxiously expect rejection based on one's appearance, among men and women's interest in cosmetic surgery.

"The results suggest that individuals who anxiously expect rejection based on their appearance are vulnerable to the effects of negative comments about their appearance," said Lora E. Park, psychologist and study co-author from the University of Buffalo.

A total of 133 American college students were randomly assigned to write an essay about either a negative or positive comment about their appearance that they had received in the past.

Compared to participants with lower appearance-based rejection sensitivity, those with higher sensitivity felt more rejected and expressed greater interest in getting cosmetic surgery after recalling a negative versus positive appearance comment.

Results were found even after controlling for other individual difference variables, such as overall self-esteem, general rejection sensitivity, appearance contingent self worth and self-perceived attractiveness.

Negative appearance comments were most often made in reference to body weight, shape, size, the participants reported, whereas positive appearance comments were most often made in reference to overall appearance.

Peers, friends and romantic partners were the most frequently cited source of both positive and negative appearance comments, said a Buffalo release.

These results appeared in the June issue of Body Image.

Last updated on Jul 1^st, 2009 at 11:23 am IST--IANS