Volume 12 - Issue 66
/ June 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.66.06.16
How to Cite:
Babchuk, M.I., Babchuk, O.G., Asieieva, Y., Vdovichenko, O., & Melnychuk, I. (2023). Psychological features of physical
perfectionism in personality. Amazonia Investiga, 12(66), 163-174. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.66.06.16
Psychological features of physical perfectionism in personality
ПСИХОЛОГІЧНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ФІЗИЧНОГО ПЕРФЕКЦІОНІЗМУ
ОСОБИСТОСТІ
Received: April 21, 2023 Accepted: June 23, 2023
Written by:
Babchuk Mykyta Igorovich1
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8725-799X
Babchuk Olena Grigoriivna2
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5712-909X
Asieieva Yuliia3
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3086-3993
Vdovichenko Oksana4
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0430-2295
Melnychuk Iryna5
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1982-7393
Abstract
The article examines the psychological features
of physical perfectionism in personality. Physical
perfectionism refers to a system of personal
beliefs and attitudes related to one's physical
appearance: heightened preoccupation with one's
appearance and the pursuit of high body
standards, striving for the best results in the
pursuit of an ideal figure, as well as a
pathological attitude towards any critical
remarks about one's appearance. The formation
of the «I-physical image» is influenced by socio-
psychological factors and represents a dual
process. On the one hand, it is the influence of
society expressed in judgments, thoughts,
perceptions, stereotypes, and ideals. On the other
hand, it is the independent reflection and
awareness of one's own criteria of body
significance. The aim of the study is to determine
the individual psychological characteristics of
individuals with different levels of physical
perfectionism. The object of study is the physical
perfectionism of personality. The following
1
Graduate student of the Department of Theory and Methods of Practical Psychology of the State institution «South Ukrainian
National Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushynsky», Odessa, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: АГТ-7102-2022
2
PhD, Associate Professor the Head of Department of Family and Special Pedagogy and Psychology of the State institution «South
Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushynsky», Odessa, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AEI-7402-2022
3
Doctor of Psychological Sciences (MD), Head of the language and psychological-pedagogical training department of Odessa
National University of Economics, Odessa, Ukraine. (Corresponding author) WoS Researcher ID: AAH-2650-2021
4
Doctor of Psychological Sciences (MD), professor, dean of the Social and Humanities Faculty of Ushinsky University, State
institution «South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushynsky», Odessa, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID:
AFA-4299-2022
5
PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry, Medical and Special Psychology, State institution «South Ukrainian
National Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushynsky», Odessa, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: ISS-3893-2023
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methods were chosen to achieve the goal:
theoretical-methodological analysis,
psychodiagnostic, and mathematical-statistical
methods. The psychodiagnostic complex
consisted of the methods: «Physical
Perfectionism Scale» and «I - Structural Test of
the Ammon». The main task was to study the
psychological characteristics of individuals with
different levels of physical perfectionism. The
conducted correlation analysis allowed us to
identify significant relationships between
indicators of physical perfectionism and
indicators of «I-functions». Using the «axes»
method, two groups of individuals with high and
low levels of physical perfectionism were
selected from the general group. In order to
identify individual psychological characteristics,
a qualitative analysis of property profiles in the
corresponding groups was carried out. The
obtained results of our study allow providing a
psychological characterization of individuals
who differ in the level of physical perfectionism
and considering them as individuals endowed
with a complex of personality traits that
accompany a set of pronounced «I-functions».
Keywords: perfectionism, personality, physical
perfectionism, levels of physical perfectionism,
self-image, physical self-image, well-being.
Introduction
The problem of differentiating positive and
negative perfectionism remains one of the most
discussed, especially in recent decades, scientists
have been paying more attention to the level of
perfectionism among young people. An analysis
of scientific studies and theories of perfectionism
indicated that there is a tendency to equate
dissatisfaction with one's body with the
phenomenon of body image. Having considered
the theories and conceptions: P. M. Tarkhanova
and A. B. Kholmogorova, A. A. Dadeko,
V. V. Paramonova, C. Davis, S. Elliott,
M. Dionne, I. Mitchell, S. Fisher, and others
(Tarkhanova & Kholmogorova, 2011;
Paramonova, 2009; Davis, Elliott, Dionne, &
Mitchell, 1991; Fisher, 2014), we emphasize the
need to differentiate the concepts: «satisfaction
and dissatisfaction with one's body», «perception
of one's body», «attitude towards one's body»,
«evaluation of one's body».
Note that in the last one’s years, the study of
perfectionism has taken a new direction, focusing
on its specific forms. One of these specific forms
is perfectionism directed towards appearance,
which is referred to as «physical perfectionism».
This concept refers to the belief or feeling that
others have exaggerated and unrealistic demands
regarding one's physical appearance, which are
difficult but necessary to meet in order to earn
approval and acceptance and avoid negative
evaluation. Despite the high relevance and
practical significance of researching this
phenomenon, it remains relatively underexplored
in modern psychology.
Therefore, the aim of our research is to
investigate the individual psychological
characteristics of individuals with different levels
of physical perfectionism.
The object of the research is the physical
perfectionism of personality.
Methodology
In the research we used following methods:
theoretical-methodological, interdisciplinary
analysis on the research topic,
psychodiagnostical, and mathematical-statistical
methods.
Babchuk, M.I., Babchuk, O.G., Asieieva, Y., Vdovichenko, O., Melnychuk, I. / Volume 12 - Issue 66: 163-174 / June, 2023
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The theoretical method included theoretical-
methodological analysis and the synthesis of
social and psychological achievements related to
the research topic, aimed at reflecting the current
state of studying the physical perfectionism of
personality.
Interdisciplinary analysis of social and
psychological literature is aimed at reflecting the
current state of the problem.
The psychodiagnostic complex included the
«Physical Perfectionism Scale» (Kholmogorova
& Dadeko, (2020)) and the «I - Structural Test»
by G. Ammon.
Statistical data processing was performed using
SPSS 26.0 for Windows XP, which allowed to
provide quantitative and qualitative analysis of
the obtained data, describe profiles and provide
psychological characteristics to respondents/
The sample consisted of 56 individuals aged 20
to 32 years, who were students of the Faculty of
Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology at the State
Institution «South Ukrainian National
Pedagogical University named after K.D.
Ushinsky».
The inclusion criteria for the research sample
were:
− age from 20 to 32 years;
− absence of mental illnesses;
− the status of a university student;
− individual consent to participate in scientific
research.
The research was conducted in accordance with
the principles of deontology and bioethics.
All respondents were informed about the goals
and methods of the research and gave their
consent to participate in the scientific
experiment.
Analysis of recent research and publications
First, in science, modern psychologists identify
the phenomenon of physical perfectionism as an
independent parameter of personality
perfectionism (N. G. Haranyan, A. А. Dadenko,
A. N. Dorozhevets, O. I. Kononenko,
P. M. Tarkhanova, A. B. Kholmogorova,
A. A. Rakhmanina., T. I. Shcherbak,
E. T. Sokolova, V. V. Paramonova and
others).(Haranyan, 2006; Kholmogorova, &
Dadeko, 2010; Kholmogorova, & Rakhmanina,
2020; Kholmogorova, & Tarkhanova, 2014;
Kononenko, 2014; Dorozhevets & Sokolova,
1991; Paramonova, 2009; Shcherbak, 2017;
Tarkhanova, & Kholmogorova, 2011)
In the study of physical perfectionism as a factor
of emotional maladjustment in youth,
A. A. Dadeko conducted a psychological
comparison of young men and women engaged
in bodybuilding and fitness with young people
who do not engage in systematic body image
correction activities. It showed that physical
perfectionism and emotional maladjustment are
significantly more pronounced in the group of
subjects who strive to improve their body.
Additionally, a strong correlation was found
between the level of physical perfectionism and
the severity of depression symptoms
(Kholmogorova & Dadeko, 2010).
P. M. Tarkhanova and A. B. Kholmogorova
define «physical perfectionism» as a system of
personal beliefs and attitudes related to one's
appearance: heightened concern and
dissatisfaction with one's appearance, striving to
meet high body standards, achieving the best
results in the pursuit of an ideal figure, as well as
a pathological attitude towards any critical
remarks about one's appearance (Tarkhanova, &
Kholmogorova, 2011).
In the scientific article by O. I. Kononenko, it is
noted that «physical perfectionism is an
independent phenomenon that requires focused
study. It is one of the most prevalent forms of
general perfectionism and has a closer
association with psychological maladjustment,
eating disorders, and negative body perception in
modern society» (Kononenko, 2014).
V. V. Paramonova attempted to link
«pathological physical perfectionism» with a
range of personal characteristics. The author
managed to identify significant correlations with
a cluster of psychological characteristics,
including dependence, low level of
differentiation in the cognitive-affective sphere,
distortion of body and gender self-identity,
blurred perception of bodily boundaries, and
unstable self-esteem (Paramonova, 2009).
Pathological perfectionistic tendencies can be
considered in relation to individuals' attitudes
towards psychological boundaries, particularly
with regards to the perception of the «body image
boundary». The «body image boundary» is
understood in various functional aspects such as
distance or «fusion» with the external object,
integrity, protection, or permeability,
vulnerability to interfering influences,
dependence or autonomy, separateness, and
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«distinctness» as a sense of bodily comfort or
discomfort (Dorozhevets, & Sokolova, 1991).
In foreign scientific literature, the term
«physical» or «body perfectionism» is rarely
used, and typically, this phenomenon is not
considered as a separate phenomenon but as a
component of general perfectionism. In this
context, many researchers point out the
significant contribution of perfectionistic
attitudes to the development and maintenance of
various eating disorders (Haranyan, 2006) and
readiness to seek plastic surgery (Sherry, Hewitt,
Lee-Baggley, Flett, & Besser, 2004). They also
note the presence of perfectionism in men and
women engaged in bodybuilding and the use of
steroids for muscle mass gain (Pope, Phillips, &
Olivardia, 2000).
From the definition of physical perfectionism, it
becomes evident that although this construct
encompasses a whole set of personal and
behavioral components, the first and most
essential manifestation among them is
dissatisfaction with one's appearance. Based on
this, we believe that many theoretical
developments and empirical studies on body
satisfaction/dissatisfaction, as well as the factors
influencing its formation and its relationship with
psychological well-being/maladjustment, can be
particularly valuable for a deeper understanding
of the phenomenon of physical perfectionism.
Analyzing a large number of scientific research
and empirical observations, Canadian scientists
C. Davis, S. Elliott, M. Dionne, I. Mitchell
concluded that an individual's personal
characteristics make a significant contribution to
their body and appearance satisfaction. The
authors use the metaphor of a lens to argue that
the body image is largely shaped by an
individual's unique worldview, and personality
acts as a kind of lens that ultimately determines
how this perception will be. Thus, the personal
characteristics of one person allow them to view
the world in general and their own body
positively, while the individual characteristics of
another person, like a distorted mirror, can distort
their perception of the real body and generate
negative emotions and thoughts related to their
appearance. This metaphor helps understand why
individuals with identical biological
characteristics and the same gender can perceive
their bodies and appearance differently, even
when living in similar social conditions (Davis,
Elliott, Dionne, & Mitchell, 1991; Davis, 1995).
Satisfaction with one's body and the body image
as a one are closely associated with the concept
of «well-being», which is defined as a set of
phenomena that involve an individual's
emotional response and their assessments of the
quality of their life and its specific domains.
General positions can be identified in various
approaches to understanding subjective well-
being. Subjective well-being includes an
affective component, where a predominance of
positive emotions contributes to greater life
satisfaction for an individual. It is influenced
both by a person's attitude towards themselves
and their relationships with others (Eliseeva,
2011).
The society imposes on individual’s thoughts,
standards, and stereotypes based on which a
person forms their own criteria for evaluating
their body. The standard of attractiveness that a
person aspires to is determined by the culture of
society. The desire to conform to an ideal leads
individual to change their physical appearance
through various methods. Often, the intrusive
desire to alter one's body becomes the cause of
disordered eating behaviors and distorted body
perception. However, it should be noted that the
level of body satisfaction undoubtedly depends
on its actual physical characteristics. It is not
surprising that a significant body of research
convincingly demonstrates that weight gain is a
significant predictor of negative body perception.
Thus, the further an individual is from the widely
recognized standards of external attractiveness,
the higher the risk of body dissatisfaction
(Kononenko, 2014).
S. Fisher, who was involved in developing the
issue of negative body image as early as the mid-
twentieth century, paid particular attention to
studying its relationship with various personal
characteristics. The author believed that negative
body perception serves as a unique indicator of
suppressed emotions, internal conflicts, and
unconscious childhood traumas. However, the
body image, for the author, was solely seen as a
channel to explore the individual's inner world
and their unconscious, and was considered
merely as a tool for studying personality (Fisher,
2014).
In recent decades, important conceptual changes
have occurred - body image and body
dissatisfaction have been studied as independent
phenomena rather than auxiliary tools for
studying other personality traits. Moreover, the
focus of attention on investigating the
relationship between personality traits and body
image has also shifted. Currently, the search for
individual characteristics that determine personal
vulnerability to the formation of body
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dissatisfaction is of utmost importance
(Kholmogorova & Dadeko, 2010; Tarkhanova &
Khomogorova, 2011; Davis, Elliott, Dionne &
Mitchell, 1991).
Body dissatisfaction is commonly understood as
the presence of a complex set of negative
thoughts and feelings about one's own
appearance, which may include negative
evaluations of body size, shape, and tone, or its
specific parts. This phenomenon always implies
a discrepancy between how a person perceives
their body and their ideals of an ideal body.
In scientific literature, there is a tendency to
equate body dissatisfaction with the phenomenon
of body image. However, most contemporary
authors agree that body image is a complex
multi-component construct that includes the
phenomenon of «body
satisfaction/dissatisfaction» but is not limited to
one's physical body.
According to one of the most authoritative
experts in this field, Thomas F. Cash, «body
image» refers to a person's perception of their
own body, not only in terms of appearance and
attractiveness but also encompassing their beliefs
about their physical abilities, health, body
endurance, and so on. The body image, in terms
of perceptions of appearance, is itself a complex
psychological construct with two components:
1) perception of one's body (psychological
representations of its size, shape, and skin color).
Perception of one's body refers to how
objectively a person can perceive their own
appearance, based on its actual physiological
characteristics; 2) attitude toward one's body.
Attitude toward one's body is a complex and
multifaceted construct of thoughts, feelings, and
beliefs related to appearance. It can be divided
into two main components: 1) evaluation of one's
body (degree of satisfaction/dissatisfaction with
it). Body evaluation consists of positive or
negative beliefs and cognitive assessment of
one's appearance. For example, a person may
believe in their attractiveness or unattractiveness
and in the acceptability of their weight (body
shape, nose, etc.). Body evaluation also includes
an emotional component: feelings of satisfaction
or dissatisfaction with one's body, feelings of
pride or shame regarding one's appearance or its
individual parts; 2) the importance of appearance
for self-esteem. The level of importance of
appearance for self-esteem reflects how highly
appearance ranks in a person's system of values,
and even their belief in how strongly external
appearance influences people's lives (Cash,
2008).
The aforementioned scientific interest is
primarily driven by a practical demand: with
each passing year, more and more people
experience body dissatisfaction, which has
become one of the key psychological problems
of modern individuals.
T.I. Shcherbak, in studying the relationship
between the image of the physical self and
physical perfectionism, notes that «…people
prone to physical perfectionism have a negative
physical self-image. Manifestations of physical
perfectionism often manifest as chronic
dissatisfaction with one's weight, a belief in the
impossibility of achieving a healthy and
attractive body without special and constant
efforts, and a conviction that 'body care'
determines success in all other areas of life»
(Shcherbak, 2017).
R. Burns considered the physical self as one
aspect of a person's self-concept. The physical
self is an integral component of each of the three
elements of self-concept: self-image, self-
esteem, and behavioral reactions. It can be
represented in various modalities. This schema is
convenient for methodological purposes as it
allows for the «breakdown» of the unified
research subject into different components
depending on the level of analysis. Thus, at the
cognitive level, the physical self-image is studied
as one's perception of their body (body image,
body schema, appearance, gender identity, etc.).
At the emotional level, self-esteem related to
appearance and physical manifestations is
examined, while at the dynamic level, it involves
a person's behavior in relation to their body
representation and self-esteem. Each of these
components can be viewed as the actual self
(how a person sees and evaluates their physical
self and how it influences their actions), the ideal
self (how they would like to see their body and
appearance and how it would impact their
activities), and the reflected self (how they
believe others perceive and evaluate their body
and appearance and how this perception affects
their behavior). The degree of congruence
between these indicators can indicate the
harmony of one's personality, high self-
satisfaction, low anxiety, as well as
underdeveloped self-awareness, inflated self-
esteem, and anxiety suppression. Therefore,
these indicators alone have limited diagnostic
and prognostic value for the researcher and
should be analyzed in the overall context of an
individual's life (Burns, 1979).
Researcher H. Dittmar, in her article focusing on
studying the ideal of the perfect body in mass
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media, states that body image has become a key
aspect of mental and physical well-being. Based
on socio-cultural theory, the number of studies
exploring whether ideal body ideals in mass
media are a major risk factor for negative body
image, especially in women, is rapidly
increasing. This work goes beyond assessing the
existence of negative consequences of media
influence and has made significant progress in
identifying various factors that make individuals
more or less vulnerable to ideal body ideals in the
media. The author provides a critical analysis of
the evidence base for the causal relationship
between media and body image. She presents
new conclusions that confirm a nuanced and
complex picture of media effects, emphasizing
the importance of not only individual differences
but also psychological processes related to self
and identity (Dittmar, 2009).
Historical research on the phenomenon of body
dissatisfaction has grown out of clinical practices
aimed at helping people with eating disorders.
Therefore, the most researched connection to
date is the relationship between this phenomenon
and symptoms of anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and
binge eating disorder (Grogan, 2016; Stice,
Heather, & Shaw, 2002). The number of
prospective and longitudinal empirical studies
convincingly demonstrate that significant body
dissatisfaction is one of the predictors of eating
disorders for men and women of different age
groups (Graber, Graber, Brooks-Gunn, Paikoff,
& Warren, 1994; Wertheim, Koerner & Paxton,
2001; Killen, Taylor, Hayward, Haydel, Wilson,
Hammer, Kraemer, Blair-Greiner,
Strachowski, 1996; Stice, Presnell & Spangler,
2002). Regression analysis conducted in one of
the large-scale foreign studies showed that the
independent variable of «body dissatisfaction»
explains 13% of the variance in the dependent
variable in terms of the severity of bulimic
symptoms, making it a key factor in this disorder
(Stice et al., 2002). It has been proven that
negative body image perception is not only a risk
factor but also a factor that supports and
chronically eating disorders (Stice, & Agras,
1998; Fairburn, Cooper & Shafran, 2003).
Another important research direction regarding
the connection between body dissatisfaction and
mental disorders is the study of its relationship
with emotional maladjustment. The works of
several authors have shown a positive correlation
between body dissatisfaction and negative affect
(Morey & Morey, 1987; Stice & Bearman, 2001;
Stice & Shaw, 2004), as well as depressive
symptoms (Morey & Morey, 1991; Stice,
Hayward, Cameron, Killen & Taylor, 2000).
Combining body dissatisfaction with a high level
of perfectionism can lead people to strive for
achieving the ideal appearance through any
available means. As a result, they engage in
various activities that have the potential to
enhance their bodies, disregarding the potential
risks to their physical health. Among men, the
most common destructive practice is muscle
mass gain through the using steroids (Pope,
Phillips & Olivardia, 2000), while women resort
to the most radical measure of enhancing their
bodies by seeking help from plastic surgeons
without any somatic indications (Davis, 1995;
Paxton, Wertheim, Gibbons, Szmukler, Hillier &
Petrovich, 1991; Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe &
Tantleff-Dunn, 1999). The negative
consequences of body dissatisfaction can affect
various aspects of a person's life, leaving an
imprint on their everyday activities, starting with
avoiding physical activity (Neumark-Sztainer,
Paxton, Hannon, Haines & Story, 2006).
In conclusion, for today, satisfaction with one's
appearance and a healthy body image are key
aspects of psychological and physical well-being
for modern individuals.
Results
To empirically study the psychological
characteristics of physical perfectionism in
individuals, the following measures were used in
our research: the «Physical Perfectionism Scale»
(Kholmogorova, & Dadeko, 2020) and the «I-
Structural Test» by G. Ammon. (Günther, 1997).
The sample consisted of 56 participants pursuing
a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Preschool
Pedagogy and Psychology at the State Institution
«Southern Ukrainian National Pedagogical
University named after K.D. Ushinsky».
A correlation analysis was conducted to
determine the nature of the relationships between
the indicators of physical perfectionism and the
indicators of I-functions. The results showed that
an increase in the values of the physical
perfectionism indicator was accompanied by an
increase in the values of I-functions such as
destructive and deficit aggression, anxiety (fear),
deficit internal self-restraint, destructive and
deficit external self-restraint, and destructive and
deficit narcissism.
In order to identify individual psychological
characteristics of physical perfectionism, a
qualitative analysis was performed, which
allowed the identification of two groups with
distinct levels of physical perfectionism within
the overall sample. The first group consisted of
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participants with a high level of physical
perfectionism (PP+) (n=7), and the second group
consisted of individuals with a low level of
physical perfectionism (PP-) (n=4).
The next step was to construct profiles of I-
functions for these groups with different levels of
physical perfectionism. Picture 1 presents the
profiles of these groups.
Pic. 1. Profiles of I-functions in groups of individuals with different levels of physical perfectionism.
Visual analysis of Picture 1 indicates that
representatives of the PP+ group (high level of
physical perfectionism) show high scores on the
following scales: constructive aggression (A1+),
constructive anxiety (An1+), constructive
external self-boundaries (B1+), constructive
narcissism (N1+), and destructive sexuality
(S2+).
Constructive aggression is understood as an
active, proactive approach to life, curiosity, and
healthy interest, the ability to establish
productive interpersonal contacts and maintain
them despite possible conflicts, the ability to
form one's own life goals and objectives and
implement them even in unfavorable life
circumstances. It involves shaping one's own
ideas, thoughts, perspectives, and engaging in
constructive discussions. Constructive
aggression implies the presence of developed
empathic abilities, a wide range of interests, and
a rich world of fantasies. It is associated with the
ability to openly express emotional experiences
and serves as a prerequisite for creative
transformation of the environment, personal
development, and learning. Individuals
exhibiting constructive aggression are
characterized by activity, initiative, openness,
communicability, and creativity. They are
capable of constructively overcoming difficulties
and interpersonal conflicts, clearly identifying
their main goals and interests, and fearlessly
advocating for them in constructive interactions
with others. Even in confrontational situations,
their activity takes into account the interests of
their partners, allowing them to reach
compromise solutions without compromising
their personal-significant goals, in other words,
without compromising their own identity.
For individuals with high scores on the
constructive anxiety scale, they possess the
ability to soberly assess the dangers of real-life
situations, amplify their fear to accomplish
important tasks, goals, and plans, and expand
their life experience. They are generally capable
of making reasoned and measured decisions in
extreme circumstances, demonstrating sufficient
tolerance for anxious experiences, which allows
them to maintain their integrity even in
challenging situations that require responsible
choices, thus affirming their identity. Anxiety in
these individuals contributes to increased
productivity and overall effectiveness in their
activities. They are capable of establishing
connections and actively involving others in
resolving their own doubts, fears, and anxieties.
In turn, they can empathize with the anxious
А1 А2 А3 An1 An2 An3 E1 E2 E3 I1 I2 I3 N1 N2 N3 S1 S2 S3
PP+ 11,7 4,4 4,5 9,4 3,5 3,9 8,2 3,14 3,8 10 2,6 4,6 9 3,8 3,1 9,2 6,4 3,1
PP- 44,2 6,5 4,8 3,8 2,7 4,5 3,2 4,3 8,2 3 6 4,8 3,2 38,2 3,5 2,25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
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experiences of others and contribute to resolving
these concerns.
High scores on the constructive external self-
boundaries scale reflect openness, sociability,
communicativeness, good integration of internal
experiences related to interpersonal activity, a
sufficient ability to set personal goals and tasks
that are usually aligned with the demands of
others, good emotional contact, emotional
maturity, the ability to rationally allocate one's
time and effort, and the choice of an appropriate
behavioral strategy according to changing and
evolving situations and personal life plans. In
situations that require participation, individuals
with high scores on this scale demonstrate their
ability to provide assistance and support to
others.
Constructive narcissism manifests as the ability
to accurately assess oneself, fully embrace one's
abilities and realize them, feel one's strength and
competence, forgive oneself for mistakes and
setbacks, extracting necessary lessons and
thereby enhancing one's life potential.
Constructive narcissism allows individuals to
derive pleasure from their own thoughts,
feelings, fantasies, insights, intuitive decisions,
and actions, correctly perceiving their real value.
It enables individuals to fully experience their
bodily life and facilitates the establishment of
various interpersonal relationships according to
their needs. Constructive narcissism enables one
to endure temporary loneliness without feelings
of longing or boredom. It allows individuals to
genuinely forgive others for their mistakes and
deception, to love and be loved, while
maintaining internal integrity, independence, and
autonomy. Individuals with high scores on this
scale are characterized by high self-esteem, a
sense of dignity, healthy ambition, realistic self-
perception and perception of others, openness in
interpersonal contacts, diverse interests and
motivations, the ability to enjoy life in its various
manifestations, emotional and spiritual maturity,
and the ability to withstand adverse
developments, hostile judgments, and actions of
others without harming themselves or resorting
to defensive mechanisms that seriously distort
reality.
Destructive sexuality is a distortion of the
development of the sexual function, manifested
in the disruption of the process of integrating
sexual activity into the overall behavior of an
individual. In fact, sexuality becomes detached
from the ego-identity and pursues its own
autonomous goals, which often do not align with
other aspects of the self. These goals can include
purely seeking sexual pleasure associated with
the arousal of a specific erogenous zone, the need
for recognition and admiration, the desire to
establish sexual dominance, conforming to
socially prescribed roles, aggressive solicitation,
and so on. The central aspect here is the distortion
of internalized unconscious group dynamics,
which transforms sexuality from a means of
deepening communication, achieving closeness,
trust, and intimacy into a way to avoid genuine
human contact. Partnered symbiosis, the merging
of feelings, thoughts, and experiences, is
replaced by egotistical detachment. Both the
partner and individual components of one's own
sexual activity are instrumentalized and
manipulatively used to achieve sexual
gratification. The feelings experienced by the
other are either ignored or objectively exploited.
The source and core of destructive sexuality lie
in the distorted, mostly unconscious dynamics of
symbiotic relationships. In behavior, destructive
sexuality manifests as a reluctance or inability to
engage in deep, intimate relationships. Human
closeness is often perceived as burdensome or as
a threat to the loss of autistic autonomy, leading
to avoidance or premature termination through
substitution. Instead of a whole person being
involved in the interaction, only fragmented
aspects of the self participate. Thus, the detached
sexual activity insultingly ignores the integrity of
the other, giving sexual relationships a character
of impersonality, anonymity, and alienation.
Sexual interest becomes fetishized and rigidly
associated only with specific qualities of the
partner. High scores on the scale of destructive
sexuality are characteristic of individuals who
are incapable of spiritually fulfilling and
emotionally rich sexual experiences, who avoid
emotional closeness, trust, and warmth. Instead
of a genuine interest in the sexual partner, some
private stimulating element usually takes its
place, such as novelty, unusualness, secondary
sexual characteristics, etc., or a tendency toward
self-destruction. Sexual excess is rarely
experienced by them as a genuine «here and
now» moment.
Representatives of the PP- group (low level of
physical perfectionism) show low scores on the
scales of constructive aggression (A1-),
constructive anxiety (An1-), constructive
external self-boundaries (E1-), constructive
narcissism (N1-), destructive sexuality (S2-), and
high scores on the scales of constructive
aggression (A3+) and deficit internal self-
boundaries (I3+).
Low scores on the scale of constructive
aggression suggest a possible decrease in
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activity, a lack of ability to engage in productive
dialogue and constructive discussion, a lack of
need for changing life conditions, forming
personal meaningful goals, and a tendency to
avoid any confrontation due to fear of breaking
symbiotic relationships or lacking conflict
resolution skills. They also tend to be unwilling
to «experiment» and have an underdeveloped
ability to adequately respond to emotional
experiences in interpersonal situations. In
behavior, deficit aggression manifests as an
inability to establish interpersonal connections,
warm human relationships, reduced objective
activity, narrowing of interests, avoidance of any
confrontation, conflicts, discussions, and
situations of «competition», a willingness to
sacrifice their own plans, and an inability to take
responsibility and make decisions. With
pronounced deficit aggression, the ability to
openly express one's emotions, feelings,
demands, and preferences is significantly
hindered. The lack of activity is often
subjectively compensated by unrealistic
fantasies, unattainable plans, and dreams. In
emotional experiences, feelings of helplessness,
incompetence, and worthlessness come to the
fore, accompanied by a sense of emptiness,
loneliness, abandonment, and boredom.
For individuals with low scores on the
constructive anxiety scale, there is a weakening
or even disruption of flexible emotional
regulation behavior. Their level of activity often
does not correspond to the difficulties of real-life
situations. Depending on the indicators of two
other fear scales, it can be noted that either they
become excessively anxious, which disintegrates
the individual's behavior through overestimation
of the degree of danger, or there is complete
subjective denial.
Low scores on the constructive external self-
boundary scale can result in a disturbance of the
ability to control interpersonal distance,
problems in establishing optimal interpersonal
contacts, decreased ability to rationalize the use
of available strengths, resources, and time,
difficulties in setting and pursuing personally
significant goals and tasks that align with the
cash context of interpersonal interactions,
inadequate coherence of emotional experiences
related to objective interactions, and difficulties
in expanding and integrating new impressions.
Individuals with high scores on the deficit
aggression scale typically exhibit a passive life
position, alienation from their own plans,
interests, and needs. They tend to postpone
decision-making and are unable to make
significant efforts to achieve their goals. In
interpersonal situations, passivity, dependence,
and a tendency to avoid any conflicts, situations
of conflicting interests and needs are usually
observed. They often have fantasies that are
unrelated to reality and anticipate their actual
realization. Along with this, there are often
complaints of a sense of internal emptiness,
indifference, «chronic» dissatisfaction with
everything that happens, a lack of «joy of life», a
sense of hopelessness and helplessness in the
face of life difficulties.
For individuals with high scores on the deficit
internal self-boundary scale, impulsivity, weak
emotional control, a tendency to exalted states,
insufficient thoughtfulness of actions and
decisions, and «overflow» of differentiated,
diverse feelings, images, or thoughts are
characteristic. There is a lack of sufficient
concentration of efforts, poor regulation of
bodily processes. Deficient internal self-
boundary is perceived as an insufficient
formation of an internal boundary of the «self».
This boundary arises in the process of structural
differentiation of the psyche and signifies the
possibility of forming a truly autonomous «self».
In this sense, the inadequacy of the internal
boundary is, to some extent, a basic
underdevelopment of personal structures that
inhibits the formation of other intrapsychic
formations. Poorly structured internal
experiences can only be mechanically
replenished, remaining too closely associated
with specific situations and the emotions and
affects experienced in them. The perception of
time is practically absent since the experience of
the present, as a rule, absorbs both the past – due
to a certain weakness in differentiating an earlier
affect from the immediate one – and the future –
due to difficulties in differentiating the imaginary
from the real. The possibilities of realistic
perception and regulation of one's own bodily
processes are significantly reduced. On the one
hand, actual needs require immediate satisfaction
and practically cannot be postponed, while on the
other hand, many actual «bodily needs» can
remain neglected for a long time. Overall
behavior is inconsistent, often chaotic, and does
not correspond to the actual life situation.
Low scores on the constructive narcissism scale
typically indicate individuals who are insecure,
addicted, and sensitive to external evaluations
and criticism, intolerant of their own weaknesses
and the shortcomings of others. Such individuals
often experience communicative difficulties,
they are unable to maintain warm and trusting
relationships in general or, when establishing and
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maintaining them, cannot preserve their own
goals and benefits. The sensory life of
individuals with low scores on this scale is
usually impoverished or overly «unusual», their
range of interests is narrow and specific. Weak
emotional control and the lack of a full
communicative experience prevent these
individuals from fully experiencing the richness
of life.
Destructive sexuality is characterized by the
presence of pronounced negative emotions after
sexual excesses. Sexual relationships are
retrospectively perceived as traumatizing,
harmful, or demeaning. As a result, feelings of
guilt, a sense of degradation, or experiences of
«being used» are often noted. Such individuals
exhibit low sexual activity, a tendency to avoid
sexual contact to the point of complete refusal,
and a tendency to replace real sexual
relationships with fantasies. These individuals
are unable to experience joy from their own
bodies, communicate their desires and needs to
others, and easily become lost in situations that
require sexual identification.
Conclusions
1. Physical perfectionism is an independent
phenomenon that requires purposeful study.
It is one of the most common forms of
general perfectionism and has a closer
association than other forms with eating
disorders and negative body image. In this
study, physical perfectionism is understood
as a system of personal beliefs and attitudes
related to one's external appearance:
heightened preoccupation with one's
physical appearance and a striving for
conformity to high body standards,
achieving the best results in the pursuit of an
ideal figure, as well as a pathological attitude
towards any critical remarks about one's
physical appearance.
2. The results of our research allow for a
psychological characterization of
individuals who differ in the level of
physical perfectionism and consider them as
those endowed with a complex set of
personality traits accompanying a set of
expressed «self-functions».
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