Disciplines
Arts and Humanities
Mentor
Ph.D. Donna Henderson-King
Abstract
Previous research indicates that materialistic women are more likely to want to alter their bodies (Henderson-King & Brooks, 2009). This study focuses specifically on the relationship between materialism and body hair removal. We collected information about the frequency of body hair removal, reasons for hair removal, and materialism (Richins & Dawson, 1992). Findings indicate that males and females do not significantly differ on materialist values. Correlational analyses reveal that for women, materialism is related to frequency of hair removal for several body sites; for men, however, materialism was related to body hair removal for only a single site. Qualitative analyses reveal that men who are more materialistic also report fewer health-related (intrinsic) reasons for hair removal. For women who are more materialistic, analyses reveal that they provide more normative (extrinsic) reasons for hair removal.
ScholarWorks Citation
Ballew, Brianna, "Does Materialism Predict Body Hair Removal Among Undergraduate Males and Females?" (2016). Honors Projects. 576.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/honorsprojects/576
