The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between identification with feminist beliefs and sexual assertiveness, by examining three potential mediators of that relationship: self-objectification, empowered entitlement, and self-silencing. Cross-sectional survey data were collected via online survey from 188 women. Results from correlational analyses indicated that active commitment to feminist beliefs was significantly related to lower levels of self-objectification and self-silencing and higher levels of empowered entitlement, but was not related to sexual assertiveness. Identification with nonfeminist beliefs (passive acceptance of sexism) was significantly related to higher levels of self-objectification and self-silencing and decreased empowered entitlement, as well as lower levels of sexual assertiveness. Baron and Kenny's (1986) regression approach was used to explore potential mediators of the relationship between identification with nonfeminist beliefs and sexual assertiveness. In individual regression analyses, self-silencing fully mediated the relationship between identification with nonfeminist beliefs and sexual assertiveness. Regression analyses examining empowered entitlement as a mediator approached significance and analyses examining self-objectification as mediator were non-significant. An integrative analysis utilizing Preacher and Hayes' (2008) method for evaluating indirect effects in multiple mediator models was used to further explore the impact of all three mediator variables and two covariates (age and education level) on the relationship between nonfeminist beliefs and sexual assertiveness. The overall model accounted for a significant portion of the variance in sexual assertiveness and the total indirect effect of nonfeminist beliefs on sexual assertiveness through the set of mediators was significant, whereas the direct effect of nonfeminist beliefs on sexual assertiveness was not significant, indicating that, after controlling for covariates, the set of three mediators together (self-objectification, empowered entitlement, and self-silencing) fully mediated the relationship between nonfeminist beliefs and sexual assertiveness. However, self-silencing appeared to contribute the only unique significant mediation in the model, accounting for approximately 84% of the total indirect effect. Unique indirect effects for self-objectification and empowered entitlement were not significant. Implications for understanding the relationship between identification with nonfeminist beliefs and sexual assertiveness and directions for future research are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:siu.edu/oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-1560 |
| Date | 01 August 2012 |
| Creators | Hagadone, Kate Miller |
| Publisher | OpenSIUC |
| Source Sets | Southern Illinois University Carbondale |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Dissertations |
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