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Bringing Objectification into Social Relationships Research: Is Self-Objectification Harmful for Authenticity?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

Chiara Rollero
Chiara Rollero*
Affiliation:
University eCampus (Italy)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Chiara Rollero. Faculty of Psychology. University eCampus. Via Isimbardi, 10. 22060. Novedrate (Co) (Italy). E-mail: chiara.rollero@uniecampus.it
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Abstract

Self-objectification is a pervasive process in contemporary Western societies and psychological literature has largely shown its negative consequences in terms of body shame, appearance anxiety, mental health and performance. Mass media play a key role in promoting such process through the extensive sexualization of individuals’ body and the separation of sexualized body parts from the rest of the body. The purpose of the present study was to extend past research by examining the effects of self-objectification in the context of social relationships among young adults. Participants were 235 undergraduates (55.7% females). A three-step model was successfully tested: results showed that internalization of media standards is related to increased self-objectification (β = .33, SE = .08, p = .01), which in turn is associated with authenticity, being high self-objectifiers less devoted to authentic living (β = –.21, SE = .09, p = .01) and more self-alienated (β = .14, SE = .08, p = .04) and dependent on others’ influence (β = .50, SE = .01, p = .01). The pattern of these relationships did not significantly vary across gender (χ2 = 6.29; p = .18). Implications concerning the impact of self-objectification in the domain of social relationships are discussed.

Keywords

authenticitygendermass mediaself-objectification
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 19 , 2016 , E32
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2016 

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