Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-857557d7f7-ksgrx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-28T16:28:02.418Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 62 - Critical Processing of Beauty Images Scale (CPBI)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2025

Virginia Ramseyer Winter
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
Tracy L. Tylka
Affiliation:
Ohio State University
Antoinette M. Landor
Affiliation:
University of Missouri
Get access

Summary

The 22-item Critical Processing of Beauty Images Scale (CPBI scale; Engeln-Maddox & Miller, 2008) assesses women’s tendency to engage in critical processing of media images of idealized female beauty. The CPBI scale can be administered online or in-person with adolescent and adult women and is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the CPBI scale as well as the potential for counterarguing and critical processing of beauty images to intervene between exposure to media imagery and body image outcomes. Next, this chapter provides evidence of the psychometric properties of the CPBI scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted with samples of young adult, undergraduate women suggest a correlated three-factor structure for scores on the scale. The first factor comprises items noting the “fakeness” of beauty images, the second comprises items that accuse such images of being harmful to women, and the third comprises criticisms that models are too thin. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity support the use of the CPBI scale. This chapter provides the CPBI scale items, instructions for administering the measure to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and citation information, are also provided for readers.

Information

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Berel, S., & Irving, L. M. (1998). Media and disturbed eating: An analysis of media influence and implications for prevention. Journal of Primary Prevention, 18, 415430. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023/A:1022601625192.pdf.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engeln-Maddox, R. (2005). Cognitive responses to idealized media images of women: The relationship of social comparison and critical processing to body image disturbance in college women. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 11141138. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2005.24.8.1114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engeln-Maddox, R., & Miller, S.A. (2008). Talking back to the media ideal: The development and validation of the Critical Processing of Beauty Images Scale. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32, 159171. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2008.00420.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holmqvist, K., & Frisén, A. (2012). “I bet they aren’t that perfect in reality:” Appearance ideals viewed from the perspective of adolescents with a positive body image. Body Image, 9, 388395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2012.03.007.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tiggemann, M. (2002). Media influences on body image development. In Cash, T. & Pruzinsky, T. (Eds.) Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice (pp. 9198). Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Tylka, T. L., & Wood-Barcalow, N. L. (2015). What is and what is not positive body image? Conceptual foundations and construct definition. Body Image, 14, 118129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.04.001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vendemia, M. A., & DeAndrea, D. C. (2018). The effects of viewing thin, sexualized selfies on Instagram: Investigating the role of image source and awareness of photo editing practices. Body Image, 27, 118127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.08.013.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.0 A

Why this information is here

This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

The PDF of this book conforms to version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring core accessibility principles are addressed and meets the basic (A) level of WCAG compliance, addressing essential accessibility barriers.

Content Navigation

Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.

Reading Order & Textual Equivalents

Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.

Visual Accessibility

Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.

Structural and Technical Features

ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×