Does Gender Matter? Testing the Influence of Presumed Media Influence on Young People’s Attitudes toward Cosmetic Surgery

The present study examined gender differences in young people’s attitudes toward cosmetic surgery as well as the joint effects of media and peers on their attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. A survey of 555 university students in Singapore showed that young people of both sexes generally held positive attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. We observed no significant gender disparities in their acceptance of cosmetic surgery or intention to undergo cosmetic surgery. We tested the influence of the presumed media influence model, and our findings supported direct and indirect models of media influence on young people’s attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. The indirect model was mediated by perceived influence of cosmetic surgery-related media on peers. We also found that men were more susceptible to the influence of presumed media influence than women were. Practice implications of our study for educators include open discussions regarding cosmetic surgery and the influence of media and peers among young people, as well as differentiating intervention programs for emerging adult women and men.