Body image in children and adolescents What is body image? A two-dimensional model of body image incorporates both perceptual and emotional components. It focuses both on how we feel about the size and shape of our bodies, and on how accurately we perceive our body dimensions. A more recent cognitive approach suggests that body image is a complex set of cognitive schemas. A schema is a grouped set of knowledge. Groups of schemas are readily available for important tasks such as guiding behavior, circumstantial scripts (or dialogues), and evoking the appropriate emotional, somatic, visual, and auditory responses in certain situations. The cognitive schema of body image is an organized domain of knowledge about oneself and others. Different situations evoke different patterns. For example, watching a fashion show or reading a women's magazine filled with pages and pages of derelicts can evoke the "I'm fat" schema, while receiving compliments on how good your body looks in a certain outfit can evoke the "Me" schema. "I'm sexy" scheme. We begin to build a pattern from a young age; therefore, by the time we become adults, we have had many experiences and established very elaborate patterns. Such elaborate constructions are resistant to change. These patterns influence our perception of the world and ourselves, our feelings and our behaviors. Every culture around the world emphasizes specific ideals for body image. In the United States and many other countries, the media plays an important role in how we see ourselves: it shows us what is “good” and what is “bad.” In many ways our society infiltrates our concept of ideal body image by setting unrealistic expectations for both genders. At an early age we are taught to pay special attention to our appearance. A...... half of the article ......professional development among male and female adolescents. Adolescence, 34(133), 69-79. Gardner, R. M., Friedman, B. N., & Jackson. (1999) Hispanic and White children's judgments of perceived and ideal body size in themselves and others. The Psychological Record, 49(4), 555-564. Wong, Y., Bennink, M.R., Wang, M. and Yamamato, S. (2000) Excessive concern about thinness in female students aged 10–14 years in Taiwan. American Dietetic Association, 100(2), 234-237. O'Dea, J. & Maloney, D. (2000) Preventing eating and body image problems in children and adolescents using the health promoting schools framework. The Journal of School Health, 70 (1), 18-21. Coller, T. G. & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (1999) Enjoyment of food, fun and fitness: a community-based program to teach girls to feel better about their bodies. Journal of Nutrition and Education, 31(5), 292-293.