Pluralistic Ignorance

Appearance

Below are questions pertaining to students' feelings about appearance and body image 

How Comfortable are you at the sports center? (compared to typical Reed student)

Year: 2018
Scale: (0 = not at all comfortable, 7 = very comfortable)
 

Actual norm = 4.14 (SD = 1.83)
Perceived norm = 3.71 (SD = 1.21)
p < 0.02, significant

Participants report that they are more comfortable in the sports center than the average Reed student.

How often do you count calories? (compared to typical Reed student)

Year: 2015
Scale: (0 = never, 7 = every day)
 

Actual norm = 2.35 (SD = 1.95)
Perceived norm = 2.80 (SD = 1.07)
p < 0.03, significant

Participants report that they count calories less often than the average Reed student.

Do you go to the sports center (outside of PE requirements)?

Year: 2018
 

Yes = 62
No = 48 
Missing: 15

How comfortable are you with your body? (most Reed students...)

Year: 2015
Scale: (0 = not at all comfortable, 10 = extremely comfortable)
 

Actual norm = 5.71 (SD = 2.56)
Perceived norm = 5.50 (SD = 1.55)
p < 0.32, not significant

Participants report that they are about as comfortable with their body as the average Reed student.

How much does physical/mental health influence your exercise behaviors? (nost Reed students'...)

Year: 2015
Scale: (0 = not at all, 10 = a lot)
 

Actual norm = 6.47 (SD = 3.20)
Perceived norm = 5.76 (SD = 2.27)
p < 0.01, significant

Participants report that physical/mental health influences their exercise behaviors significantly more than the average Reed student.

How much does physical appearance influence your exercise behaviors? (most Reed students'...)

Year: 2015
Scale: (0 = not at all, 10 = a lot)
 

Actual norm = 4.64 (SD = 3.01)
Perceived norm = 5.38 (SD = 1.90)
p < 0.005, significant

Participants report that physical appearance influences their exercise behaviors significantly less than the average Reed student.

How much time during the average weekday do you spend on appearance (such as brushing hair, picking out clothes, makeup, etc.)? (most Reed students...)

Year: 2015
Scale: (0 = 5 minutes or less, 1 = 5-10 minutes, 2 = 10-30 minutes, 3 = 30minutes-1hour, 4 = 1-1.5 hours, 5 = 1.5-2 hours, 6 = 2+ hours)
 

Actual norm = 1.60 (SD = 1.13)
Perceived norm = 2.01 (SD = 0.81)
p < 0.0001, significant

Participants report that they spend significantly less time on appearance than the average Reed student.

 

How concerned are you with your appearance? (Male participants)

Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (not at all) to 10 (very)
 

Actual norm = 5.87 (SD = 2.10)
Perceived norm = 5.26 (SD = 1.78)
p < 0.04, significant

Male participants report that they are more concerned with their appearance than most male Reed students.

How much does another person's appearance influence your impression of them?

Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (not at all) to 10 (very)
 

Actual norm = 5.91 (SD = 2.09)
Perceived norm = 6.30 (SD = 2.07)
p < 0.0001, significant

Participants report that their impression of another person is less influenced by their appearance than for most Reed students.

How often do you shower? (Male participants)

Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (less than once a week), 1 (once or twice a week), 2 (several times a week), 3 (once a day), 4 (more than once a day)
 

Actual norm = 2.57 (SD = 0.73)
Perceived norm = 2.07 (SD = 0.57)
p < 0.0001, significant

Male participants report that they shower more often than most male Reed students.

How often do you shower? (Female participants)

Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (less than once a week), 1 (once or twice a week), 2 (several times a week), 3 (once a day), 4 (more than once a day)
 

Actual norm = 2.44 (SD = 0.72)
Perceived norm = 2.29 (SD = 0.56)
p < 0.02, significant

Female participants report that they shower more often than most female Reed students.

How much time do you devote to your appearance each day? (Female participants)

Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (very little) to 10 (a lot)
 

Actual norm = 3.78 (SD = 2.10)
Perceived norm = 4.98 (SD = 1.83)
p < 0.0001, significant

Female participants report that they devote less time to their appearance each day than most female Reed students.

How often do you brush your teeth?

Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (less than once a week), 1 (once or twice a week), 2 (several times a week), 3 (once a day), 4 (twice a day), 5 (more than twice a day)
 

Actual norm = 3.61 (SD = 0.73)
Perceived norm = 3.27 (SD = 0.72)
p < 0.0001, significant

Participants report that they brush their teeth more often than most Reed students.