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Maier and Lavrakas (‘Attitudes Toward Women, Personality Rigidity, and Idealized Physique Preferences in Males,’ Sex Roles, 1984, 11(5/6), 425–433) claim to have shown that males with a rigid personality structure seek an idealized muscular physique. It is pointed out that their measure of rigidity (the F scale) is based on an oversimplified and extensively disconfirmed theory, which is itself intolerant of ambiguity. Continued acceptance of the theory is also therefore intolerant of ambiguity. It is proposed that the correct interpretation of the Maier and Lavrakas findings should have been that it is old-fashioned to idealize a muscular physique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author presents a response to a comment about his article on males with a rigid personality structure which seek an idealized muscular physique. He stresses the validity of the F scale which measures rigid personality and asserts that personality variables are related to idealize physique preferences. Men have become less inclined to change their sex role attitudes than women, thereby suggesting that men are relatively old-fashioned in their tendency to idealize a muscular physique. The old-fashioned perception of men about sex roles is the main reason they are inclined to be impressed by muscular male physiques than women.