Predicting interest in cosmetic surgery in Thailand : media influence, body image, and self-monitoring

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationships between three psychosocial factors and Thai people’s interest in undergoing cosmetic surgery. The three psychosocial factors include media influence, body image, and self-monitoring. Four hypotheses were formed. We predicted that there will be a positive relationship between media influence and interest in cosmetic surgery, a negative relationship between body image and interest in cosmetic surgery, a positive relationship between self-monitoring and interest in cosmetic surgery, and that body image will mediate the predicting relationship between media influence and interest in cosmetic surgery. One hundred and seven Thai participants completed questionnaires regarding their interest in cosmetic surgery, media influence, their body image satisfaction, and their self-monitoring ability. Our finding revealed a significant positive relationship between media influence and the participant’s interest in cosmetic surgery whereby the more media influence people are exposed to, the more interested in cosmetic surgery they become. There was no significant relationship found between body image and the level of interest; neither did we find significant relationship between self-monitoring concept and interest. This study investigated the relationship of these three psychosocial factors simultaneously with interest in cosmetic surgery whereas existing iv studies have not yet explored. We also explored and discussed the possible rationale behind our findings as they contrast other existing research.