This research aims at exploring the male bodybuilder stereotype by establishingwhether there indeed exists a stereotypical response pattern inbeing confronted with this type of athlete. If so, which is the content of thisstereotype? Is there also a cross-cultural fit to such a pattern? The study issocio-biologically oriented and designed mainly as a participant-observationfield study in varying Swedish settings over a period of three years. An internationalsample proper of bodybuilders (N = 22) from four Western countriesfor comparison participated by means of a questionnaire derived fromthe observational data (average age M = 36.6, SD = 6.9; average weight M =113.6 kilos, SD = 12.4 kilos and average height M = 177.6 cm, SD = 3.7 cm).The data were subjected to a content analysis focusing on categorising inaccordance with socio-biological assumptions as well as by the responses’assumed intent and type. Results suggest a distinctive pattern to responseswhich, in addition, appear cross-culturally valid (the agreement index was .84).The male bodybuilder stereotype may be outlined as a series of dichotomousdimensions, which vary by emphasis in accordance with culture but apparentlynot in nature: 1) Someone to envy or someone to admire; 2) Someone to beafraid of or someone to make friends with; 3) Someone unintelligent or someonedetermined and skilled; 4) Someone to harass or someone to desire; and 5)Someone embarrassing or someone to be proud of. A sub-sample of Swedishparticipants only (n = 13) is dealt with separately, since the Swedish researchcontext appears to have several unique features. Possible implications of the studyare discussed as well as future research.