Appearance Preference Task (APT)

Abstract

The Appearance Preference Task (APT) is a 33-item computerized forced-choice assessment developed to measure the importance of appearance among women. This measure was created through two studies to address the limitations of self-report questionnaires in assessing appearance importance. The APT consists of 34 forced-choice word pairings, crafted by two PhD-level researchers, designed to include positively balanced descriptors of appearance alongside non-appearance characteristics commonly admired or valued in Western culture (e.g., intelligent, caring, loving, funny, genuine, adventurous). The task was administered to undergraduate women in the U.S. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a 3-factor structure, retaining 33 items. The measure demonstrated good internal consistency, as well as convergent and divergent validity.

Keywords

Appearance Characteristics, Appearance Importance, Boldness and Intelligence, Charming Attributes, Divergent Validity, Interpersonal Warmth, Non-Appearance Characteristics, Physical Appearance, Preference for Attractiveness, Personal Values, Personality Traits, Physical Attractiveness, Preference Measures, Preferences

Authors

Patel, Tapan A.; Summers, Berta J.; Cougle, Jesse R.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Appearance Preference Task (APT) is to objectively assess the importance that women place on appearance. This measure aims to overcome the inherent limitations associated with traditional self-report questionnaires previously used to gauge appearance importance.

Validity

Convergent Validity: The Appearance Preference Task (APT) demonstrated strong convergent validity. The total number of appearance-related adjectives selected during the APT was positively correlated with self-reported beliefs regarding the importance of appearance. Furthermore, it showed a positive correlation with the percentage of a participant’s budget allocated to physical appearance. The APT also exhibited positive correlations with the severity of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) symptoms, appearance anxiety, eating disorder symptom severity, and depressive symptoms, suggesting it aligns with related constructs.

Divergent Validity: Divergent validity was established by showing that the correlation between the APT and beliefs about the importance of appearance (r = 0.47) was significantly stronger than the correlation between the APT and depression (r = 0.20; t = 6.48, p < 0.001). This indicates that while the APT may relate to psychological distress, it measures a distinct construct from general depression.

Reliability

Internal Consistency: The overall internal consistency for the Appearance Preference Task (APT) was found to be good, with a McDonald’s ω of 0.89. The internal consistency for the three individual factors varied from good to adequate. Specifically, Factor 1 (Preference for Attractiveness Over Interpersonal Warmth) showed a McDonald’s ω ranging from 0.81 to 0.83. Factor 2 (Preference for Attractiveness Over Boldness and Intelligence) had a McDonald’s ω between 0.79 and 0.83. Factor 3 (Preference for Attractiveness Over Charming Attributes) exhibited a McDonald’s ω in the range of 0.68 to 0.70.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA): An initial exploratory factor analysis of the Appearance Preference Task (APT) data yielded four factors with Eigenvalues greater than 1. However, a subsequent parallel analysis indicated that only three factors should be retained and extracted. Consequently, the analysis was re-conducted specifying three factors. This re-analysis revealed that the three factors were correlated. One item pair was removed from the scale due to a low factor loading. The final three-factor solution collectively accounted for 61.0% of the total variance in the data.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the proposed three-factor model of the APT. The three factors were allowed to covary. The results of the CFA indicated a good approximate model fit. The fit statistics were as follows: χ2(492) = 595.48, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, SRMR = 0.05, RMSEA = 0.024 with a 95% Confidence Interval [0.016, 0.031]. These values generally support the hypothesized three-factor structure of the APT.

Instrument: Appearance Preference Task (APT)

Test Type: Original

Format: The Appearance Preference Task is administered electronically. Participants are presented with the prompt: “In the following task, you will be presented with word pairs. Please choose which word from the pair represents the concept that seems more important to you.” Participants are required to select one adjective from each pair before proceeding to the next pair. Items are scored as 1 if the participant chooses the appearance-related adjective and 0 if they select the non-appearance-related adjective.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human, Female

Age Group: The measure is suitable for Adulthood (18 years and older), including Young Adulthood (18-29 years), Thirties (30-39 years), Middle Age (40-64 years), and Aged (65 years and older).

Population Details: The measure was administered to undergraduate women located in the United States.

Test Methodology: The development and validation of the APT involved several test methodology approaches, including: Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis (Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis).

Authors

Patel, Tapan A.

• Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0003-2368-5447

• Affiliation: Florida State University Department of Psychology

• Email Address: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32304

Summers, Berta J.

• Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0003-1066-0785

• Affiliation: Harvard Medical School Massachusetts General Hospital

• Email Address: No data is Available

Cougle, Jesse R.

• Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0003-2423-8905

• Affiliation: Florida State University Department of Psychology

• Email Address: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: No data is Available

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact the Corresponding Author, Tapan A. Patel ([email protected]), for permissions related to the Appearance Preference Task.
Fee: No fee is required for the use of this instrument.
Test Year: 2023

References

Patel, T. A., Summers, B. J., & Cougle, J. R. (2023). Development of a forced choice assessment of appearance importance: The Appearance Preference Task (APT). Cognitive Therapy and Research, 47(2), 232–242. doi.org/10.1007/s10608-022-10341-w

Items of the Appearance Preference Task (APT)

The Appearance Preference Task consists of 33 items. The full list of items is available in the Appendix of the source reference, specifically on Pages 240-241 of Cognitive Therapy and Research, 47(2), 232–242.
The items are structured as forced-choice word pairings, where participants select one adjective from each pair. The construct measured is Appearance Preference, assessing the importance of appearance.
The factors and subscales identified through factor analysis are:

• Preference for Attractiveness Over Interpersonal Warmth

• Preference for Attractiveness Over Boldness and Intelligence

• Preference for Attractiveness Over Charming Attributes