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The current study examined the psychological consequences of trait and state self objectification. This study had three main objectives: to examine the relation between trait self objectification and various eating pathologies; to examine the degree of state self objectification (induced by three different conditions) and the impact of condition on affect and sense of self; and finally, to examine the effect of condition on interactions with the opposite sex. The pilot study was used to select thin, thin sexually objectifying and average/plus size non-sexually objectifying images. Using a quasi-experimental research design with an elaborate cover story, the main study exposed one hundred seventy women to one of three conditions (thin non sexually objectifying, thin sexually objectifying or plus size non-sexually objectifying images) and measured negative affect and body image. Following viewing images, participants interacted with a male confederate for five minutes and their reported comfort level and flirting with the confederate were assessed. Results indicated that trait self objectification was associated with disordered eating symptomatology. However, the manipulation check revealed that the experimental condition did not produce varying degrees of sexual objectification. Nonetheless, results indicate an effect of condition on body dissatisfaction, in which individuals who viewed thin images reported more body dissatisfaction than participants in the above average/plus size group. In regards to the social interaction, individuals in the non-sexually objectified group reported more flirting than individuals in the sexually objectified group. Implications for clinical work and future research are discussed.

The current study had three main objectives: to examine the relation between trait and state self-objectification and various eating pathology, including restricted eating; to examine the role of general and specific feminist attitudes on body dissatisfaction and trait disordered eating; and to merge two empirically supported models of eating disorders. Using a quasi-experimental research design with an elaborate cover story, one hundred and three women completed a variety of baseline measures and were assigned to one of two state self-objectifying conditions (swimsuit vs. sweater) where body image and body shame were measured at post. Additionally, following the manipulation, participants caloric intake during a snack break was measured. Results indicated that trait self objectification was associated with disordered eating symptomatology and analyses found an effect of condition on body shame, and that this effect was moderated by trait self-objectification. These results were not documented for caloric intake and body dissatisfaction, likely due to time of assessment of these variables. Also, results indicate that objectification theory and the dual pathways model merge well and that in the dual pathway, body shame may be a component of body dissatisfaction. Finally, feminist attitudes were also associated with body dissatisfaction but not with disordered eating symptoms. Implications for clinical work and future research are discussed.

The sexual content of media aimed at pre- and early adolescents (including magazines, movies, TV shows, and websites) has increased dramatically in recent years (Durham, 2008; Levin & Kilbourne, 2008; Olfman, 2009; Oppliger, 2008; Orenstein, 2011; Sarracino & Scott, 2008). Psychologists have expressed concern that exposure to such material leads to “internalized sexualization.” A recent APA Task Force (2007) called on researchers to study sexualization among pre- and early adolescent girls to understand its impact on development. For my dissertation, I sought to fulfill this mandate by completing a longitudinal study of internalized sexualization and its consequences. Ninety-nine girls and 94 boys at a private middle school were recruited for the study. They completed measures twice a year for a total of four waves of data. At each time point, girls completed measures of: (1) internalized sexualization, (2) body surveillance, (3) body shame, (4) body satisfaction, (5) general perceived self-competence, (6) physical perceived self-competence, (7) social perceived self-competence, (8) cognitive perceived self-competence, and (9) sociometric popularity. Girls’ pubertal status and grade point average (GPA) were also obtained. Boys completed the measure of sociometric popularity. Cross-sectional analyses suggested that internalized sexualization among girls increased as a function of age; however, linear growth curve modeling did not suggest intra-individual growth in internalized sexualization. Across time points, higher levels of internalized sexualization were associated with higher levels of body surveillance, body shame, and pubertal development, and lower levels of body satisfaction, general perceived self-competence, and cognitive perceived self-competence. Structural equation models suggested that increases in pubertal status temporally preceded increases in internalized sexualization, and increases in internalized sexualization temporally preceded decreases in general perceived self-competence, cognitive perceived self-competence, and GPA. Implications for intervention and social policy are discussed. / text

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Researchers have traditionally used two measures of self-objectification, the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (Noll & Fredrickson, 1998) and the Objectified Body Consciousness Body Surveillance subscale (McKinley & Hyde, 1996), to demonstrate that self-objectification is related to body shame and dissatisfaction, appearance anxiety, decreased awareness of internal states, decreased flow experiences, disordered eating, depression and sexual dysfunction. Although the SOQ and OBC have been used widely, they also have several limitations, including problems with missing data, lack of generalizability, and concerns about content validity. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new measure of self-objectification called the Self-Objectification Beliefs and Behaviors Scale (SOBBS). Male and female college students (473 women and 202 men) completed an online questionnaire including a pool of items designed to measure self-objectification. The item pool was constructed through focus groups and consultation with subject matter experts. Participants also completed two existing measures of self-objectification and related constructs (i.e., interpersonal sexual objectification, body image, disordered eating behavior, depressive symptoms, and sexual functioning), and a subset of participants completed the new measure at a two-week interval. A 12-item, 2-factor measure of self-objectification was derived through exploratory factor analysis. Overall, the newly developed measure demonstrated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Data also supported the convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity of the scale as a measure of self-objectification for women and men. Implications for research in the area of self-objectification and for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders will be discussed.

Objectification theory explains how media-driven ideals can be internalized and lead to the development of eating disorders, poor body image, depression, anxiety, a desire to achieve a thin ideal, and lowered rates of relationship satisfaction. Research on objectification theory, until recently, has focused primarily on a female population and heterosexual couples. As nontraditional sexual identities have become more accepted in society, media influences have begun to impact other populations, including the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of these media-driven ideals on a gay male population and determine how objectification may lead to lower rates of relationship satisfaction. A multiple linear regression analysis was used in this study to determine if the predictor variables of self-objectification, partner-objectification, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and education adequately predict the criterion variable of relationship satisfaction in a sample of 81 gay males. Results of the study support the theory that higher levels of reported objectification predicted relationship satisfaction. In other words, the more a gay male objectified himself, the less satisfied he was in romantic relationships. The findings of this study are significant because this is one of the first studies to investigate this topic among a gay male population. The results speak to the impact that media-driven messages can have on an individual, not only in terms of self-concept, but in terms of how those beliefs impact relationship satisfaction. In terms of positive social change, the results may allow for more education at younger ages to teach adolescents the impact of objectification.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of a sociocultural theory of objectification with a population of older women. Specifically, the study sought to determine if level of self-objectification influenced psychological well-being, disordered eating, and sexual dysfunction. Additional goals of this study included determining if older women self-objectify like their younger counterparts and if level of selfobjectification was influenced by one’s feminist identity. Participants were 128 randomly selected women living in a small city in the southwest recruited through a local seniors fair and organizations. Participants completed a take-home survey which included a demographic questionnaire, the Feminist Identity Development Scale, the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, the Scales of Psychological Well-Being Short Form, the Eating Attitudes Test, and the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women. Participants returned surveys in postage pre-paid envelopes. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling methods and the final model fit the data well. Results indicate that older women do self-objectify but this level of self-objectification is not influenced by their level of feminist identity. In addition, level of self-objectification is negatively related to psychological well-being and positively related to disordered eating; however, no relationship exists between self-objectification and sexual dysfunction. Implications for clinical practice and further research are discussed.

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Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides tells the story of adolescent boys gazing at the five Lisbon sisters, who captivate the entire neighborhood with their blond hair and youthful beauty. The young women are positioned as objects, merely to be gazed upon by the male narrators, who by watching them seek to gain knowledge of life and death. Therefore, the novel risks adhering to a traditional, patriarchal theme, where men are the active subjects and women are the passive objects. By reading against the grain and focusing on the sisters' stories told in glimpses through the narrators' voices, however, it emerges that The Virgin Suicides carries a feminist message that runs counter to the objectification and silencing of the young women.