Yoga and Body Image
摘要
In this chapter, we briefly review how body image has been conceptualized and then more thoroughly present research that has explored the cross-sectional, prospective, and experimental links between yoga practice and negative and positive facets of body image. When interviewed, yoga practitioners report mostly positive (e.g., increased body appreciation), but also some negative (e.g., increased body comparison), impacts of yoga on their body image, indicating that instructor cues to focus inward and studio factors (e.g., body size diversity, mirrors) can influence their body image in positive or negative ways. Cross-sectional, survey-based research largely supports the positive relationship between yoga practice and positive body image and the inverse relationship between yoga practice and negative body image, and prospective designs show that engaging in yoga practice can lead to improved body image and embodiment over time. Experimental research, including randomized controlled trials and single-session interventions, reveals that yoga can have beneficial effects by reducing negative body image and increasing positive body image, while also suggesting that contextual factors (e.g., presence of mirrors, appearance-based instruction) can alter the nature and strength of these effects. We end the chapter by articulating several research directions to build upon this fruitful area of interest and inquiry.