Self-recognition of the body and its parts during late adolescence

Male and female student volunteers were photographed nude in three orientations: front, side, and rear. One month later, they were asked to identify their bodies or bodily parts from an array of seven photographs grouped according to height and linearity. Thirty judgments of the full body, multiple parts, and single parts were made, including the head, thorax, abdomen, arms and legs, as well as the torso and top and bottom halves of the body. Females took significantly longer to identify themselves than did males and frontal identifications were carried out quicker than rear identifications, which in turn were judged quicker than side orientations. The breasts were found to be the most important secondary sexual characteristic for females, and bodily hair for males. The genitals were judged quickly and accurately by males. The results are discussed in terms of ego involvement, narcissism, and the increased attention given to the body during adolescence.This research was supported by a grant from Rothmans of Pall Mall (Aust.) Ltd. to the Centre for the Study of Youth and Adolescence at Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.Received M.A. (Hons. I) and Ph.D. at University of Sydney. Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society, Chairman (Sydney Branch) of the Australian Psychological Society. Current research interest is the psychology of adolescence.