The Gendered Body Project: Motivational Components of Objectification Theory

2012 ◽  
pp. 322-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomi-Ann Roberts ◽  
Patricia L. Waters
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Women's Bodies ◽  
Psychology Of Women ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Body Project ◽  
Objectification Of Women ◽  
Patriarchal Power ◽  
Self Objectification

In this chapter, we attempt to explore the motivational questions that arise when we view the psychology of women through the lens of objectification theory, which highlights the centrality of appearance concerns, or “body projects,” for girls and women today. We examine theoretical perspectives on what motivates the sexual objectification of women, considering the ways this treatment may reflect an adaptive evolutionary mating strategy, may serve as a tool for the maintenance of patriarchal power, or may lend existential “protection” against the creaturely, death reminders that women's bodies provide. We then investigate both developmental processes and situational/contextual features that motivate girls and women to internalize a sexually objectifying view on their physical selves. And, finally, we review evidence that self-objectification, though motivating in itself, carries significant consequences for their health and well-being.

The Gendered Body Project

2019 ◽  
pp. 320-336
Author(s):  
Tomi-Ann Roberts ◽  
Patricia L. Waters
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
Early 21St Century ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Full Participation ◽  
Body Project ◽  
Trait Level ◽  
The World ◽  
Self Objectification

This chapter explores motivational questions that arise when the psychology of girls and women is viewed through the lens of objectification theory, which highlights the centrality of appearance concerns, or body projects, for girls and women in the early 21st century. The chapter examines three theoretical perspectives for what motivates sexually objectifying views and treatment of women and women’s own participation in self-objectifying body projects, which have garnered compelling evidence: a power-related motivation, an existential motivation, and a system-justifying motivation. It then investigates the cultivation, through developmental processes and immersion in objectifying environments, of self-objectification at a trait level, as well as the more direct situational experiences that induce states of self-objectification. And, finally, it reviews evidence that self-objectification, though motivating in itself, carries significant consequences for girls’ and women’s health, well-being, and full participation in the world.

The Cognitive Tax of Self-Objectification

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Stevens Aubrey ◽  
Ashton Gerding
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Music Videos ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Television Commercials ◽  
Factual Information ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Psychology Of Women ◽  
Self Objectification

Objectification theory ( Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 , Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 173–206) posits that a consequence of living in a sexually objectifying culture is self-objectification, a cognitively taxing preoccupation with one’s appearance. The present study investigated the effects of exposure to sexual objectification of female artists in music videos, on female emerging adults’ self-objectification and their ability to cognitively process subsequent television commercials. Results indicated that exposure to music videos high in sexual objectification induced self-objectification and hindered participants’ subsequent performance in encoding visual information from commercials, but did not diminish participants’ ability to allocate resources to, or to recall factual information from, the commercials.

Objectification Theory and Psychology of Women: A Decade of Advances and Future Directions

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie Moradi ◽  
Yu-Ping Huang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
The Past ◽  
Psychology Of Women ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
Self Objectification

Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) proposed objectification theory as an integrative framework for understanding how women's socialization and experiences of sexual objectification are translated into mental health problems. This article reviews the past decade of research grounded in objectification theory and highlights needed directions for future scholarship in this area. Specifically, this article reviews research organized according to the following themes: (a) self-objectification and its proposed consequences, (b) sexual objectification experiences as a proposed precursor, and (c) disconnections from bodily functions. An overview of emerging objectification theory research with men is also provided. The review concludes with needed directions for future theoretical and research efforts aimed to advance the psychology of women.

Examining Objectification Theory

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 745-776 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie S. Hill ◽  
Ann R. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Women's Bodies ◽  
Heterosexual Women ◽  
Self Objectification ◽  
The Relationship

Many theorists have suggested that living in a culture in which women's bodies are sexually objectified socializes girls and women to treat themselves as objects. This study developed a theory-based measure of cultural sexual objectification and explored the relationship between women's reports of cultural sexual objectification experiences and self-objectification. The possible moderating effects of sexual orientation were explored using hierarchical moderated regressions. The major findings, in a sample of 361 women, were (a) women's reports of sexualized gaze/harassment were significantly related to their own self-objectification, (b) lesbian and heterosexual women reported similar levels of sexualized gaze/harassment, and (c) the relationship between sexualized gaze/harassment and self-objectification was not significantly different for the lesbian and heterosexual subsamples. Potential implications for counseling and directions for future research are discussed.

How Sexual Objectification Generates Dehumanization in Western and Eastern Cultures

2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Wollast ◽  
Elisa Puvia ◽  
Philippe Bernard ◽  
Passagorn Tevichapong ◽  
Olivier Klein
Keyword(s):  
Social Perception ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Intense Pain ◽  
Eastern Cultures ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
Self Objectification ◽  
Asian Sample

Abstract. Ever since Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) proposed objectification theory, research on self-objectification and – by extension – other-objectification has experienced a considerable expansion. However, most of the studies on sexual objectification have been conducted solely in Western populations. This study investigates whether the effect of target sexualization on social perception differs as a function of culture (Western vs. Eastern). Specifically, we asked a Western sample (Belgian, N = 62) and a Southeast Asian sample (Thai, N = 98) to rate sexualized versus nonsexualized targets. We found that sexual objectification results in dehumanization in both Western (Belgium) and Eastern (Thailand) cultures. Specifically, participants from both countries attributed less competence and less agency to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets, and they reported that they would administer more intense pain to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets. Thus, building on past research, this study suggests that the effect of target sexualization on dehumanization is a more general rather than a culture-specific phenomenon.

Self-Objectification and Its Psychological Outcomes for College Women

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 371-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp ◽  
Renee N. Saris-Baglama
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Psychological Outcomes ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Restrictive Eating ◽  
Bulimic Symptoms ◽  
Objectification Of Women ◽  
Self Objectification ◽  
The Relationship

The objectification of women by our society can become internalized by women, resulting in negative psychological outcomes. Using Fredrickson and Roberts' (1997) objectification theory, we tested a model of the relationships between self-objectification and disordered eating and depressive symptoms in a sample of undergraduate women ( n = 384). One postulate of self-objectification theory is that self-objectification can lead to a lack of internal awareness, which may mediate the relationship between self-objectification and restrictive eating, bulimic, and depressive symptoms. Results of structural equation modeling suggest that self-objectification has a direct relationship to restrictive eating, bulimic, and depressive symptoms. The mediational role of internal awareness was relevant for depressive symptoms but not for restrictive eating or bulimic symptoms. Depressive symptoms did, however, mediate the relationship between self-objectification and bulimic symptoms. The relevance of our findings to the understanding of objectification theory are discussed and future areas of research recommended.

Self-Objectification, Risk Taking, and Self-Harm in College Women

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp ◽  
Jenny D. Swanson ◽  
Amy M. Brausch
Keyword(s):  
College Women ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Women's Bodies ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Self Objectification

Objectification theory proposes that the objectification of women's bodies causes women to self-objectify, adopting an outsider's view of themselves. Engaging in a high amount of self-objectification is thought to place women at increased risk for mental health problems such as body dissatisfaction and depression. It was hypothesized that self-objectification would contribute to negative body regard and depression, which would increase participation in risk-taking and self-harmful behaviors. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of risk for self-harm based upon objectification theory in a sample of 391 college women. Results indicate that the model provided a good fit to the data, but only the paths from self-objectification to negative body regard, negative body regard to depression, and depression to self-harm were significant. Implications of these findings for objectification theory and our understanding of self-harm in women are discussed.

The Neuropsychology of Self-Objectification

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Riva ◽  
Santino Gaudio ◽  
Antonios Dakanalis
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Experience ◽  
Negative Image ◽  
Bodily Appearance ◽  
Self Image ◽  
Out Of Body Experience ◽  
Self Objectification ◽  
Health And Well Being

According to the objectification theory ( Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 ) girls and women are thought to adopt a self-objectified view of themselves as objects to be evaluated on the basis of their appearance. More, this experience is proposed to have a direct link with the health and well being of female subjects. The paper analyzes and discusses the objectification theory within the context of recent research on memory and spatial cognition. On one side, it describes self-objectification as a specific cognitive process: a woman internalizes an objectified self image, when she uses an allocentric frame of reference (observer mode) to remember events in which she evaluates herself based upon bodily appearance. On the other side it directly connects the objectification theory with the Allocentric Lock Hypothesis ( Riva, 2012 ), suggesting that eating disorders have as antecedent an allocentric (objective, from outside) negative image schema of the body that is no more updated by egocentric sensory inputs from perception. Both the similarities between the allocentric lock and the out-of-body experience and a review of the recent studies supporting this claim are also presented and discussed.

Domination and Objectification: Men’s Motivation for Dominance Over Women Affects Their Tendency to Sexually Objectify Women

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-49
Author(s):  
Orly Bareket ◽  
Nurit Shnabel
Keyword(s):  
Social Dominance ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Heterosexual Women ◽  
Women Partners ◽  
Objectification Of Women

In the present research, we examined the association between heterosexual men’s motivation for dominance over women and their sexual objectification of women. We found that men’s social dominance orientation (SDO) correlated with their tendency to sexually objectify women (Study 1). Inducing threat to men’s dominance over women by assigning men to work under the supervision of women bosses—versus jointly with women partners (Study 2a) or under men bosses (Study 3)—led to increased sexual objectification of women among high-SDO participants. These results persisted when controlling for mood. Examining the corresponding effects among heterosexual women revealed that the correlation between SDO and the sexual objectification of men was non-significant (Study 1) and that working under men bosses did not affect women’s sexual objectification of men (Study 2b). These findings support feminist theorizing that men (re)assert their dominance over women by sexually objectifying them. Increased awareness of the motivations underlying women’s sexual objectification can help professionals plan useful interventions to reduce this phenomenon, hopefully limiting its negative effects on women’s well-being.

How Sexual Objectification Generates Dehumanization in Western and Eastern Cultures - a Comparison Between Belgium and Thailand.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Wollast ◽  
Elisa Puvia ◽  
Philippe Bernard ◽  
Olivier Klein
Keyword(s):  
Social Perception ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Sexual Objectification ◽  
Intense Pain ◽  
Eastern Cultures ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
Self Objectification ◽  
Asian Sample

Ever since Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) proposed objectification theory, research on self-objectification and – by extension – other-objectification has experienced a considerable expansion. However, most of the studies on sexual objectification have been conducted solely in Western populations. This study investigates whether the effect of target sexualization on social perception differs as a function of culture (Western vs. Eastern). Specifically, we asked a Western sample (Belgian, N = 62) and a Southeast Asian sample (Thai, N = 98) to rate sexualized versus nonsexualized targets. We found that sexual objectification results in dehumanization in both Western (Belgium) and Eastern (Thailand) cultures. Specifically, participants from both countries attributed less competence and less agency to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets, and they reported that they would administer more intense pain to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets. Thus, building on past research, this study suggests that the effect of target sexualization on dehumanization is a more general rather than a culture-specific phenomenon.

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