Body image, culture internalization and India: A review

Pages: 796-798
Ridhima Sharma, Manpreet Ola, and Vikas Sharma (Amity Institute of Clinical Psychology, Amity University, Manesar, Haryana)

Body has been considered as the temple of the soul. It is an agent through which we personify our thoughts, intentions, desires and carry much of our actions and behavior. Lately, there has been an increased preoccupation with achieving sublime beauty and body standards, majorly among adolescents and young adults. The current review purports to investigate the role of culture internalization in mediating body image dissatisfaction. In addition, the concept of body and body image dissatisfaction have been explored from an Indian perspective as well. The resultant picture presents culture both as a precipitator as well as perpetuator of body image dissatisfaction. Also, the concept of body has had a significant and exclusive place in ancient Indian art and literature but nevertheless certain paradoxes seem to arise with regard to body image within the Indian context as well. Future directions for research in the area of body image and its related variables have also been propounded.