Influence of objectification belief and consumerism culture on Chinese women’s views of cosmetic surgery

Abstract

The overwhelming objectification environments and the burgeoning of consumerism have encouraged people to value their physical appearance. Previous research has examined the causes of self-objectification and perceptions of cosmetic surgery. However, few have examined the effect of both objectification and consumerist culture on Chinese women’s views of cosmetic surgery. The present study examined the mechanisms underlying the relationship between internalized ideals of beauty and body surveillance as well as perceptions of cosmetic surgery among Chinese women, from the dual perspective of the objectification theory and the consumer culture impact model. Specifically, we proposed that the internalization of beauty ideals increases Chinese women’s body surveillance and cosmetic surgery consideration through beliefs of body as currency and women as sex objects. Results showed that women as sex objects belief mediated the relationship between internalization of beauty ideals and consideration of cosmetic surgery. Moreover, both beauty as currency belief and body surveillance mediated the relationship between internalization of beauty ideals and consideration of cosmetic surgery. The present study provides insight into how objectification environment interplays with materialism values to affect women’s self-objectification and cosmetic surgery consideration, which extends the objectification studies by taking consumer culture impact model and Chinese sociocultural factors into account.