Participants in the survey were asked to look at pictures of thin women and size 14 women, and state how effective the images would be in selling cosmetics. The responses revealed that it was not the size of the models that mattered, rather the level of attractiveness.
The research is being presented at the British Psychological Society conference at the University of Edinburgh by Dr Helga Dittmar from the University of Sussex, and Dr Emma Halliwell and Laura Kingston from the University of the West of England.
The research also shows that the difference between the way women would ideally like to look like and the way that they actually look makes them more vulnerable to the negative effects of media exposure.
Halliwell said: "The findings from our current research will assist in developing interventions to protect women from body dissatisfaction, as well as informing debates about the use of ultra-thin models in the media."
Dove was the latest product to use "real women" in its ad campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather. In the first half of 2004, after the campaign had run, sales of Dove firming products were up by 700%.
However, a nationwide survey of women aged between 15-72 years old, carried out by the female marketing specialists Proficiency Group, found that modern advertising slogans such as "Real women have real curves" are "irritating" and are turning women off.
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