• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.468-478
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in appearance management behaviors and demographic variables among groups classified by the appearance management motives. The questionaries are administerd to 493 female and male adults above 20 years old in Seoul, Kyeonggi-do, Daegu and Kyungpook regions. For analysis of data from 478 respondents, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$, ANOVA, Duncan test and ${\chi}^2$ test were applied. We show the following results: First, factor analysis for appearance management motives extracted three factors such as self-development, emphasis on the trendy appearance, and sexual appealing motive. Factor analysis for appearance management behaviors extracted four factors such as weight training, surgery/skin care, hair care and clothing selection. Second, three groups of the appearance management motives were classified into such as the social self-management type, the sexual appealing self-management type, the passive appearance management type. The social self-management groups are more interested in self-development, emphasis on the trendy appearance, and sexual appealing motive. And they are also more involved in appearance management behaviors: clothing selection is the most pursuing appearance management behavior. Third, among the demographic variables, the single and female in 20s and 30s with higher level of education belonged to the social self-management group. In this contribution, we find significant differences in the appearance management behavior and demographic variables classified by the appearance management motives.