The Dieting Experience
Changing the conversation about weight loss and dieting
Dr. Laurie Patlin Suttenberg, DSW, LCSW-QS, DCSW
Perceptions of Willpower
Through Images
"Every picture tells a story, don't it?"
Rod Stewart asked this question over and over in his 1971 hit song. Notice that Rod didn't say stories, which is perhaps not as lyrical, but certainly more accurate. Gillian Rose (2007) tells us that "what is seen and how it is seen is culturally constructed" (pg. 2). Since anything "culturally constructed" suggests significant diversity, we can expect that our visceral and narrative responses to images and art reflect diversity as well. In simpler words, we all think differently about the "stories" we see, hear, and experience. Or do we? In an earlier blog, I explored the Stigma of Willpower and discussed how shared assumptions and views coalesce as stigmas.
Below are four series of photos. You will notice that two photos are paired in each series. Take some time to closely and mindfully study each pair of photos. Look for the commonalities as well as the differences. In particular, study the subjects in each photo and be aware of what you are thinking and feeling. Then read the text below, determine if your analysis is in synch or different than mine, and think about the questions I pose about each set of pictures.
The commonalities in these two photos are the burgers and that both subjects appear to be focused on their eating experience. The similarity ends there. The scene for the photo on the left is a beautiful serene beach. The woman is wearing a bikini and her body is thin, toned, and tan. The man on the right sits in a nondescript room. His stomach is large and the fact that the buttons on his shirt are pulling suggests that he has gained weight yet continues to wear a shirt that is too small for him. The woman appears to be managing to eat her burger neatly while the man looks slovenly because of the ketchup that is dripping from his chin to his shirt.
Do we assume that the woman has more willpower than the man because she does not appear to have a weight problem?
Does the fact that the choice of food is a hamburger alter our assumptions in any way?
Would our assumptions change if her experience of eating was as messy as his?
In this set of pictures, once again the commonality is food, this time pizza. Like our previous set of pictures, the images here tell very different narratives. The group picture is of a shared food experience. The group smiles and we can envision lively conversation as they enjoy the pizza they are sharing. They eat, but they are engaged with each other. The man on the left is eating his pizza pie alone. He engages solely with his food, his only company being the remote control on his lap. While the group on the right appear to be svelte, the man on the left has a large gut.
Do these pictures tell different stories about willpower?
What assumptions do we make about the amount of pizza the people in both pictures will eat?
Would our assumptions change if the man eating alone was thin?
There are striking similarities in this set of photos. Both women are eating ice cream. They are alone in the experience and both have looks of total engagement and enjoyment on their faces. The pleasure they are feeling is obvious to the viewer. The only visual difference in these photos is that one woman is heavier than the other.
Do we as the audience react differently to a heavy person enjoying food as compared to a thin person?
do we make different assumptions about the willpower each of these women have based on the visual of their different body types?
Would our assumptions be any different if the choice of food were vegetables instead of ice cream?
The commonality in these images is that both women are eating salads. The woman on the left has a dour expression on her face while the woman on the right is smiling and appears happier. The woman on the left appears to be surrounded by others in a restaurant while the woman on the right is alone on a couch.
Do we assume that since the heavier woman had other food choices, that her choice of salad was because she is dieting?
do we make A different assumption about the thin woman - that her choice of salad merely means she is eating healthy?
Are our assumptions about willpower different for each of these women?
Every picture does tell a story and within those narratives are assumptions. As you continue to ponder your reaction to the above pictures, think about whether the proximity created in pairing the two pictures played a factor in your perceptions about the subjects. Our perceptions become our reality.