ABSTRACT
The study of the psychology and sociology of the male body is a recent phenomenon. Until recently, the study of body image was largely restricted to women. Women’s bodies are represented more frequently in the media than the male body, and descriptions of women tend to be more embodied than those of men (Morgan, 1993). Over the last decade, psychologists and sociologists have become increasingly interested in men’s body satisfaction. This is largely due to the fact that the male body has become more ‘visible’ in popular culture, producing interest in the effects of this increased visibility on men’s body satisfaction. This chapter summarises current research and assesses the effect of increased cultural pressures on men to attain a socially acceptable, muscular, toned body.
