Nipissing University
Individuals often attempt to enhance their physical appearance through behaviors such as 1) skin tanning and 2) elective cosmetic surgery, both of which can simultaneously pose serious health risk. For example, skin tanning is motivated by a desire to enhance one’s outward physical appearance (Leary & Jones, 1993). However, sun tanning behavior is also related to a significant increase in the incidence of skin cancer and UV-related vision problems (Fears and Scotto, 1982; Walters et al., 1990), and consequently, places a burden upon the healthcare system. According to the World Health Organization (2002), excessive UV radiation exposure “caused the loss of approximately 1.5 million DALYs (disability- adjusted life years) and 60 000 premature deaths in the year 2000” (WHO, 2009, fact sheet no. 305).
Similarly, cosmetic surgery procedures can subsequently improve patients’ perceived quality of life and mood (Rankin, Borah, Perry, & Wey, 1998). However, cosmetic surgery can also result in a wide variety of health complications. For example, in a study of 749 women receiving breast implants, 27.8 % of the women underwent 450 additional implant-related surgical procedures, most of which resulted from complications (Gabriel et al., 1997).
It is important for researchers to begin to understand the psychosocial factors driving the decision to engage in risky appearance enhancement behaviors. The field of evolutionary psychology may contribute a wealth of knowledge to this domain. From an evolutionary perspective, attempts to enhance one’s appearance likely constitute an epigamic display toward members of the opposite sex, as a competitive mating strategy for attaining and retaining reproductively-relevant resources or mating opportunities. It is therefore proposed that lower perceived health risk and higher positive attitudes toward sun tanning and elective cosmetic surgery will be observed among unmated, highly intrasexually-competitive and mating-motivated individuals. Pilot data testing these predictions will be presented.