Miller, Errol L.2022-01-182022-01-18Mar. 1969119https://hdl.handle.net/2139/52223Reprinted in Christine Barrow and Rhoda Reddock (eds.), Caribbean sociology: Introductory readings (pp. 305-319). Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle, 2001This investigation examined the way in which a group of urban Jamaican adolescents perceived their bodies and conceived of physical beauty in relation to their actual skin colour. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 475 secondary school students from three secondary schools--two high schools and one junior secondary--in the Corporate Area of Kingston, in the 11-15 year age range. Results of the data analysis showed that: 1) a common concept of beauty--masculine and feminine--appeared to be shared by all the subjects of the different colour groups; 2) no preference was found for white skin colour, however, subjects of all colour groups expressed preference and positive cathexis for typical Caucasian features; 3) subjects' cathexis of their body image is determined by the closeness of their actual body features to the Caucasian stereotype generally accepted as their ideal; and 4) the most important features of the body image are of two types, those most obviously affected by growth, the developmental features--hands, legs, toes, feet--and those of social significance, the racial features--hair, nose, colour, and eyesAdolescents