The perception of one's own body, based chiefly in comparison to socially constructed standards or ideals.

Humans have the unique ability to form abstract conceptions about themselves and to gaze at themselves as both the seer and the object being seen. This can cause conflict when the seer places unrealistic demands on himor herself, especially on his or her own body. As the advertising and film industries bombard the industrialized world with images of idealized beauty, more and more adolescents are forming negative body images and engaging in self-destructive behaviors to fit an unrealistic ideal.

School-Age Children

Children begin to recognize themselves in mirrors in meaningful ways at about 18 months and begin perceiving themselves as physical beings in toddlerhood. School-age children are aware of how their bodies look, though relatively few focus an inappropriate amount of attention on them. Ideally, children learn that their physical appearance...