Intervention Programs’ Effectiveness on Appearance-based Tanning Beliefs
Open Access
Author:
Manson, Jamie L
Area of Honors:
Psychology (Behrend)
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Victoria A Kazmerski, Thesis Supervisor Victoria A Kazmerski, Thesis Honors Advisor Charisse Nixon, Faculty Reader Carl Alfred Kallgren IV, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
Attractiveness Tanning Intervention
Abstract:
Recently, tanning bed use has increased dramatically despite an increase in the evidence of tanning’s harmful effects. The primary motivation to continue tanning has been the belief that being tan makes you more attractive. Research suggests that intervention programs that have focused on appearance – damaging effects of tanning, have produced short term changes in tanning, but they are not effective in the long run. The purpose of this study was to examine whether tanning attractiveness attitudes could be decreased through an intervention program. After intervention, the results of the current study indicated a sex difference where males did not have a significant difference between pale and tan attractiveness ratings, but females did. The overall results indicated a significant difference between pale and tan attractiveness ratings. There were also no significant interactions. These results suggest that sex may play an important role in the intervention of tanning behaviors.
