Evaluative implications of intersecting body weight and other social categories: The role of typicality

Abstract Body weight is a critical dimension by which we evaluate others, with heavier individuals facing higher levels of stigma and discrimination compared to thinner individuals. Yet, the perception of body weight can be ambiguous, suggesting that stereotypic associations and heuristics influence which bodies are deemed as “typical” for a particular group or social category. Here, we investigate whether interdependent associations between body weight and social category dimensions (ethnicity, gender, age, and sex) affect the typicality ratings of a heavier body. Specifically, we hypothesize that heavier bodies labelled as Asian, feminine, younger, or female, compared to Black, White, masculine, older, or male, will be rated less typical and these typicality judgments will mediate social evaluations. Participants made typicality and social evaluative judgments about a wireframe body with a set BMI of 38, accompanied by one of sixteen category labels (e.g., Asian man). Our results show that typicality judgments broadly align with our hypotheses and mediate social evaluations of the heavier body. Overall, we showcase the interdependent nature of weight and other social categories, highlighting the role of typicality for social evaluations of heavier targets.