Is there a difference between the terms body image and body esteem??

Question

Looking at literature it appears that the terms body image and body esteem are used interchangeably? Is there a difference though?

Answer 1

I think body image is how you percieve others viewing you and body esteem is how you actually percieve yourself.

Answer 2

There is a difference although some people misuse the words. Your body image is how you see yourself, not withstanding what you see in the mirror and what others see. For example anorexics will still see themselves as "fat" when they are seriously underweight.
Body esteem is linked to it, but not the same...it's the reaction you have to your body or parts thereof. How you *feel* about your body may not be the same as what your mind says it sees. For example, I had a "fat" body image as a child when I was just tall for my age. My sister was 3 yrs older than me but I grew faster and we were always near the same height--so I was told I was "big" which I saw as "fat". A lot of ignorant people told me I was fat, which I wasn't, but I believed them. Only 30 yrs later when Iwas given some old photos did I see the reality, a tall gangly child who was not fat at all.
But body esteem is when you look at yourself and say, "I have nice eyes" or "my legs are my best feature" or even "I hate my hair." It's the emotional reaction to your body.

Answer 3

there is a difference, body image is the way your body looks, how you and others percieve you. Body esteem is the way you view your body, as in most cases the majority of women are unhappy with their bodies, even if they have a good body image. They can be extremes, you can be skinny as hell and your body esteem will say that you are fat.

Answer 4

The two terms are used interchangeably most of the time, though in my mind, I believe there is a difference:


Body Image is more involved in the concrete (tangible) side of the lexical meaning (example: the way you look, act, walk, etc).

Body Esteem is more involved in the abstract (intangible) side of the lexical meaning (example: how positive and what you think of the way you look, act, etc.)

Answer 5

yes there is a difference how we perceive our bodies. Body image is how tal, small, large or thin we think we are. The ability to be accurate, so for example anorexia condition leads the sufferer to imagine they are HUGE as a mirror image.
Body esteem is what we think of our bodies and what tother people have given us as feedback, so beautiful, ugly, too spotty, bad teeth, bad hair day is a mix of feelings and feedback.

Answer 6

Wikipedia can really suck sometimes here's what Body Dysmorphic disorder is about, "also known as dysmorphophobia, becoming deeply concerned about some imagined or minor defect in their appearance. Most often they focus on wrinkles, spots on the skin, excessive facial hair, swelling of the face, or a misshapen nose, mouth, jaw, or eyebrow. Some worry about the appearance of their feet, hands, breasts, penis or other body parts. Still others are concerned about bad odors coming from sweat, breath, genitals or the rectum." DSM checklist: Preoccupation with imagined or exaggerated defect in appearance. Significant distress or impairment

Answer 7

Body image is to do with how a person portrays themselves. I think it is to do with personal identity, for example the way we compose ourselves, our posture, and even the clothes that we were help to define who we are.

you hear people say im not happy with my body image, so i think it is to do with how a person sees themselves, and yes i think it is to do with body esteem, whether you like your body, and whether a person is comfortable in their own skin.

Body image is quite a wide spread term, havent really heard of body esteem though? i hope i have helped you.

Answer 8

Yes there is a difference; i may have a great body but think i am a worthless person, or i might think i am the greatest person in the world but have a really off putting appearance.

Answer 9

I think so me personnally i think that body image is what you think you look ho wyou percieve yourself and body esteem is what you feel about your body but they are both closely linked like when it's your time of month hormones make you feel frumpy etc so your body esteem is lowered so then your perception of your body images changes.

Answer 10

Body image is what the new airport scanners see.

Body esteem is given off in a Spanish sauna.