Choosing beauty : choice frameworks, beauty practices, and perception of discrimination

This two experiment study examined (1) how women frame their participation with beauty practices and the impact this has on both their well-being and recognition of discrimination, and (2) how exposure to a choice framework affects recognition of sexism. Based on information from an online survey, participants in study 1 considered their participation to be a choice, though I was unable to establish a connection between well-being and endorsement of a choice framework, nor between score on the recognition measure and endorsement of choice framework. Study 2 manipulated participants’ exposure to the choice framework by presenting them with different versions of an advertisement. Exposure did not predict a significant change in recognition of discrimination, though a marginally significant unhypothesized interaction was found between identification with feminism and condition. Participants low in feminism showed decreased recognition in the experimental condition, where participants high in feminism showed increased recognition. These results have implications for our understanding of choice frameworks, and discussions of gender inequality and beauty ideals.