Methodological issues in assessment of the perceptual component of body image disturbance.

An individual's body image consists of both a perceptual and an attitudinal (subjective) component. Methodological issues relative to the measurement of the perceptual component of body image are discussed. Traditionally, research in body image has employed psychophysical techniques and analyses which confound these two components. Psychophysical techniques which allow for a separate measurement of these two components are discussed, including method of constant stimuli, signal detection theory and adaptive probit estimation. The results of research utilizing these techniques are described and the importance of separately measuring perceptual and attitudinal components is discussed.