Objectification Experiences Research Articles

Complicating Objectification in the Medical Encounter: Embodied Experiences in the ICU during COVID-19.

Illness and injury are often accompanied by experiences of bodily objectification. Medical treatments intended to restore the structure or function of the body may amplify these experiences of objectification by recasting the patient's body as a biomedical object-something to be examined, measured, and manipulated. In this article, we contribute to the phenomenology of embodiment in illness and medicine by reexamining the results of a qualitative study of the experiences of nurses and patients isolated in an intensive care unit during the first wave of COVID-19. Drawing upon the phenomenological concept of embodiment-as developed in the work of Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Emmanuel Levinas-we reconsider how bodily objectification manifests in complex clinical encounters. We show that, in these settings, objectification is not simply the unilateral act of a clinician objectifying a patient. Rather, both clinicians and patients reported a variety of objectifying experiences influenced by their interactions, the immediate context of the intensive care milieu, and the broader atmosphere of a global pandemic. In light of these findings, we argue that bodily objectification in illness and medicine can often be more complicated than typically presented in the phenomenological literature.

Development and Validation of the Online Sexual Objectification Experiences Scale Among College Women

In this study, we developed and psychometrically evaluated the Online Sexual Objectification Experiences Scale (OSOES). We collected data from 816 emerging adult college women across two samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed three factors: Unwanted Sexual Advances (example item: “How often have you received unwanted messages online asking about your sexual experience?”), Negative Appearance Commentary (example item: “How often has another person insulted you by calling you unattractive online?”), and Indirect Sexual Objectification (example item: “How often have you read a sexual comment posted to a photo of another woman's body online?”). OSOES scores were internally consistent and were strongly correlated with scores of self-objectification, body surveillance, and body shame. OSOES subscale scores also provided evidence of incremental validity in predicting self-objectification and objectified body consciousness above and beyond offline interpersonal sexual objectification. We hope that findings from the present study and the OSOES can be used by researchers, clinicians, and educators to understand the frequency of online sexual objectification experiences among women and as a result, work to mitigate harmful outcomes. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/DOI:10.1177/03616843241250295

Precarious Work and Housing for Michigan Farmworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

ABSTRACT Objectives Farmworkers in Michigan face precarious and exploitative labor conditions that affect their access to affordable, fair, and quality housing, which are key social determinants of health. We sought to assess the health, working conditions, and housing access, affordability, and quality of farmworkers living in and outside of employer-provided housing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted a mixed methods cross-sectional study in collaboration with community partners from the Michigan Farmworker Project and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. We assessed housing, labor conditions, and general health through in-depth phone interviews with seasonal, migrant, and H-2A farmworkers (n = 63) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021) in Michigan. Descriptive analyses of these data included comparisons by type of farmworker and type of housing (employer-provided or other). Results The majority of farmworkers interviewed were women and seasonal farmworkers and spoke primarily Spanish. A significant share of farmworker participants reported living in poverty (38.3%) and had low or very low food security (27.0%). Nearly half of farmworkers (47.6%) rated their health as “fair” or “poor” during the year prior to the interview, and more than a third reported 3 or more chronic conditions (39.6%) and lack of health insurance coverage (38.7%). Among the 43 workers tested, 25.6% reported testing positive for COVID-19. Farmworkers reported experiences of objectification and dehumanization. Three-quarters of workers reported feeling that they were treated as less than human by supervisors and one-third reported verbal abuse. Farmworkers also experienced challenges exacerbated by their social vulnerability that impeded them from finding affordable, quality housing. Regarding housing quality, the majority of workers (80.6%) reported one or more environmental hazards around their residence, and about a third reported not having air conditioning (33.%) and lacking a functioning washing machine (33.9%). Concerns about the quality of drinking water accessible to workers and exposure to chemicals were shared by participants. Conclusion This study adds valuable knowledge to the understanding of the systemic barriers to housing and work conditions for female and male seasonal, migrant, and H-2A farmworkers in Michigan. Shortcomings in the regulatory and policy environment result in precarious housing and work conditions, including exploitative labor practices. These conditions negate equality, fairness, and health equity, important tenants for public health.

The Impact of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on Young Women's Experiences of Objectification and Sexual Well-Being

The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturned two previous rulings that had affirmed the constitutional right to abortion prior to fetal viability. While important work has been published about the legal, moral, professional, and economic ramifications of the Dobbs decision, missing on this topic are the voices of those most affected by these policies. We conducted an online survey to understand how the Dobbs ruling impacted the way women experience their bodies and sexual well-being. Participants were 339 cisgender women residing in the United States aged 19–29 years ( M = 24.4, SD = 2.84). Participants identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (23.0%), Black (22.4%), Latina (26.0%), Mixed (3.2%), and White (25.4%). We used codebook thematic analysis to analyze free-text survey responses. We constructed four themes and additional sub-themes related to embodiment in a post-Roe context, which consisted of experiencing objectification (denial of bodily autonomy, experiencing the body as a regulated/surveilled site, feeling dehumanized, and concern for future restrictions to abortion access and civil rights), impact on mental and sexual well-being (vigilance with sex, reduced sexual desire, sexual anxiety, personal safety anxiety), minimized impact (relationship or reproductive status, resource privilege, identifying as pro-life, concern for future), and resistance.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour and research of its influencing factors

BackgroundSocial media has become an indispensable part of contemporary young people's lives, and the influence of social media on college students' eating and other health-related behaviors has become increasingly prominent. However, there is no assessment tool to determine the effects of social media on Chinese college students' eating behavior. This study aims to translate the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour (SESMEB) into Chinese. Its applicability to Chinese college students was examined through reliability and validity indexes, and the influencing factors of SESMEB were explored.MethodsThe questionnaire survey included 2374 Chinese college students. The Brislin translation model was used to translate the original scale into Chinese. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the construct validity of the scale, and the content validity of the scale was assessed through the content validity index. The internal consistency of the scale was assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's Omega coefficient, split-half reliability, and test–retest reliability. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was performed to identify potential influences on the effects of social media on eating behavior.ResultsEFA supported the one-factor structure, and the factor loadings of each item on this dimension were higher than 0.40. CFA showed good model fitness indexes. The content validity index of the scale was 0.94. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and McDonald's Omega coefficient for the scale were 0.964, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.953, and the test–retest reliability was 0.849. Gender, education, major, frequency of social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism explained 73.8% of the variance in the effects of social media on eating behavior.ConclusionsThe Chinese version of the SESMEB has good psychometric properties and is a valid measurement tool for assessing the effects of social media on college students' eating behavior. Subjects who were female, highly educated, non-medical, had frequent social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism used social media to have a higher impact on eating behavior.

The Sexual Objectification Experiences of Non-Binary People: Embodied Impacts and Acts of Resistance

The Sexual Objectification Experiences of Non-Binary People: Embodied Impacts and Acts of Resistance

Disordered eating among sex trafficking survivors: An application of objectification theory to experiences of extreme objectification.

Substantial evidence demonstrates the physical, mental, and social health disparities experienced by sex trafficking survivors (STSs) in the United States. The limited exploration of disordered eating symptomology in STSs is a notable gap in understanding their health needs, especially considering the known link between exposure to trauma and disordered eating. One purpose of this study was to document the occurrence of disordered eating in a sample of STSs. This study also examined the unique effect of the sex trafficking experience, separate from other traumas, in explaining disordered eating directly and indirectly through mechanisms of self-objectification, including self-surveillance and body shame. Survey data related to sex trafficking status, disordered eating, self-surveillance, body shame, and discrimination were collected from 180 nontrafficked women and 113 trafficked women. Findings reveal that STSs reported higher rates of disordered eating than their nontrafficked counterparts, with 74% of STSs demonstrating clinically significant disordered eating. Additionally, when controlling for general trauma and subjective socioeconomic status, trafficking status, self-surveillance, and body shame explained 56% of the variance in disordered eating. These results have implications for future research and clinical work with STSs, which will be instrumental in mitigating the impact of the sex trafficking epidemic plaguing women in the United States. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Objectification of the Covered: Understanding Muslim Female Students’ Passivity in Physical Activities

Patriarchal culture in Indonesia affects vast aspects of social life, including in schools where students acquire an understanding of gender. One of the prominent gender issues in social encounters within a patriarchal culture is the uniquely female experiences of objectification at school. This article draws on data from a qualitative study on Muslim female students in an Indonesian Islamic Middle School to understand female students’ experience of objectification by applying a psychosocial feminist objectification theory (Fredrickson and Robert, 1997). The study finds that non-sexual objectifying treatment from male peers is manifested in male gazes and comments on women’s general physical appearance, and specifically on Islamic apparel—the veil and modest Muslim style clothing. More direct sexual objectification occurs in the form of male gazes and sexual comments on certain body parts, such as the chest and hips. These experiences are understood by female students’ male-centered understanding of the Islamic feminine ideal which contributes to their withdrawal from physical activities at school as in Physical Education and art performance courses. This research argues for separate PE classes as a temporary alternative for the sake of female students’ participation.

Body Maps Depict How Sexual Objectification Shapes Non-Binary People Relating to Their Bodies

ABSTRACT The purpose of this art-based study was to work with non-binary people to explore the impact of their sexual objectification experiences (SOEs) on their relationships with their bodies. Ten non-binary people completed body maps, or artistic representations of their bodies in the context of sexual objectification. Results revealed an idiosyncratic, complicated picture of mixed metaphors and powerful imagery illustrating non-binary SOEs. Themes included a focus on sex characteristics where participants played with nudity, censorship, and boundaries to express and assert themselves. Other forms of expression involved language, facial, gender and cultural expression as well as nature imagery and pain. Participants spoke to their positive, interesting, and challenging experience with the body map itself. Psychologists and clinicians are encouraged to follow best practices when working with non-binary people experiencing sexual objectification, paying attention to how heterogeneous gender identities create unique experiences.

Objectification decreases prosociality: the mediating role of relative deprivation.

Objectification denies individuals' personhood and renders them as tools for facilitating others' goal achievement. With two studies (N = 446), the present investigation aimed to contribute to the literature by testing whether and how objectification impacts prosociality, including prosocial intention and prosocial behavior. Study 1, with a correlational design, aimed to test whether participants with greater experience of objectification would report lower levels of prosociality, and to test whether participants' relative deprivation could account for the proposed association between objectification and prosociality. To further test these associations and provide causal evidence, in Study 2, we manipulated objectification by asking participants to imagine future objectification experiences. These studies converged in support of the negative relationship between objectification and prosocial intention, as well as the mediating role of relative deprivation. Regarding prosocial behavior, our findings support a mediating mechanism between objectification and prosocial behavior, although the evidence for the effect of objectification on prosocial behavior is not sufficient. These findings enrich our understanding of the consequences of objectification, while highlighting interpersonal processes' contribution to prosocial intention and behavior. The limitations and potential future directions were discussed.

Self-objectification during the perinatal period: The role of body surveillance in maternal and infant wellbeing.

Pregnancy represents a unique time during which women's bodies undergo significant physical changes (e.g., expanding belly, larger breasts, weight gain) that can elicit increased objectification. Experiences of objectification set the stage for women to view themselves as sexual objects (i.e., self-objectification) and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Although women may experience heightened self-objectification and behavioral consequences (such as body surveillance) due to the objectification of pregnant bodies in Western cultures, there are remarkably few studies examining objectification theory among women during the perinatal period. The present study investigated the impact of body surveillance, a consequence of self-objectification, on maternal mental health, mother-infant bonding, and infant socioemotional outcomes in a sample of 159 women navigating pregnancy and postpartum. Utilizing a serial mediation model, we found that mothers who endorsed higher levels of body surveillance during pregnancy reported more depressive symptoms and body dissatisfaction, which were associated with greater impairments in mother-infant bonding following childbirth and more infant socioemotional dysfunction at 1-year postpartum. Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms emerged as a unique mechanism through which body surveillance predicted bonding impairments and subsequent infant outcomes. Results highlight the critical need for early intervention efforts that not only target general depression, but also promote body functionality and acceptance over the Western "thin ideal" of attractiveness among expecting mothers.

Associations Between Sexual Objectification and Bystander Efficacy: The Mediating Role of Barriers to Bystander Intervention

This study examined whether sexual objectification (i.e., reducing someone to a sex object via a disproportionate focus on appearance and sexual characteristics) was associated with decreased confidence in future bystander intervention to reduce the risk for sexual violence (i.e., bystander efficacy) through several barriers to intervention: failing to notice the event, failing to identify the situation as risky, and failing to take responsibility Participants were 1,021 undergraduates (n = 309 men; n = 712 women) who completed self-report measures. Because men frequently perpetrate objectification, whereas women often experience objectification, complementary models were tested with objectification perpetration in men and objectification experiences in women. As expected, for men, each barrier mediated negative associations between objectification perpetration and bystander efficacy. Unexpectedly, for women, each barrier mediated positive associations between objectification experiences and bystander efficacy. Findings underscore important gender differences in associations between sexual objectification and bystander efficacy, as well as potential benefits of helping bystanders recognize the risk for sexual violence and assume responsibility for intervening.

Life history strategies, body surveillance, and online interpersonal sexual objectification experiences on women's body shame

According to the life history theory, fast life history strategists are more likely to prioritize mating efforts and concentrate on appearance to match mate preferences. This mate preference may have become the social ideal through sexual selection, thus causing body shame in women. Currently, the relationship between body shame and life history strategies, and how online interpersonal sexual objectification experiences as an external environment influence these relationships should be clarified. In the current study, a sample of 710 Chinese women participants completed self-report measures of life history strategies, body shame, body surveillance, and online interpersonal sexual objectification experiences. Results showed that life history strategies indirectly affected body shame through body surveillance. Furthermore, online interpersonal sexual objectification experiences played a moderating role. These findings emphasize the evolutionary factors of body shame from a life history theory perspective and the interactive effects of the external environment.

Online Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Experiences and Teenage Girls' Self-Objectification: The Role of Broad Conceptualization of Beauty.

Self-objectification is a common and deleterious phenomenon among young teenage girls, for which interpersonal sexual objectification experiences are a great risk; in the current information era, sexual objectification experiences may also expand into the online space. Based on this, this study aimed to examine the association between online interpersonal sexual objectification (OISO) experiences and teenage girls’ self-objectification, as well as the potential moderating role of broad conceptualization of beauty in relation to this. Seven hundred and seventy-one female undergraduate students were recruited voluntarily to complete questionnaires on OISO experiences, self-objectification, and the broad conceptualization of beauty. Results indicated that OISO experiences were positively associated with teenage girls; self-objectification and the broad conceptualization of beauty could significantly buffer this relation, which was weakened among individuals with a high level of broad conceptualization of beauty. This study expands previous research on sexual objectification, providing practical significance for promoting the well-being of teenage girls.

Black women’s experiences of gendered racial sexual objectification, body image, and depressive symptoms

Black women navigate unique sexual objectification experiences and concerns about their bodies as a consequence of the race- and gender-based marginalization that they face. However, less is known about the influence of gendered racial sexual objectification experiences on Black women’s mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms) or the contributions of key body image indicators (i.e., body surveillance and current-ideal body image discrepancy) that reflect Black women’s engagement in monitoring and managing their bodies. We surveyed 1595 Black women to test our hypotheses that experiences of gendered racial sexual objectification (i.e., frequency and stress appraisal) would be positively associated with depressive symptoms and that body surveillance and current-ideal body image discrepancy would moderate this association. Analyses showed that more frequent experiences of gendered racial sexual objectification and higher stress appraisal of these experiences were significantly associated with more depressive symptoms. Furthermore, body surveillance and current-ideal body image discrepancy moderated the relation between gendered racial sexual objectification and depressive symptoms. Findings highlight how Black women’s objectification and increased engagement in body monitoring and management practices are associated with their experiences of depressive symptoms, and thus, may negatively influence their mental health.

Relationships between use of geosocial mobile dating application “the L″ and self-objectification among Chinese female sexual minorities

A growing number of studies have revealed the significant impact of social networking sites on heterosexual women's self-objectification. The present study examined the association between the use of the L (a dating application designed for female sexual minorities) and self-objectification among Chinese female sexual minorities. A total of 777 participants (515 lesbian, 239 bisexual, and 23 asexual women) were recruited online. Participants completed measurements of the L use patterns, objectification experiences in the L, appearance-oriented in partner preference, and self-objectification. TheL use patterns include general use patterns (i.e., use time, selfies, likes, and comments) and dating motivation use patterns, the latter of which were indexed by seeking sexual or romantic partners and concerning nearby users. Results indicated that general usage time was not associated with self-objectification but had a significant indirect effect on self-objectification via the chain mediator of objectification experiences and appearance-oriented in partner preference. Selfie posting, receiving likes, and positive comments were positively correlated with self-objectification. Users with dating motivation reported higher levels of self-objectification, and the chain mediator of objectification experiences and appearance-oriented in partner preference mediated the relationship between dating motivation and self-objectification. The current findings highlight the effect of dating motivation on self-objectification in Chinese female sexual minorities.

When a Child Dies: Racialized Father's Experiences of Objectification During Hospital Care.

Understanding the meaning of loss for racialized immigrant fathers and addressing their experiences in a culturally competent manner is important in an increasingly ethnoculturally diverse country like Canada. Culture, customs and rituals influence fathers' grief and culture impacts how individuals discuss death and dying as well as how they perceive the death of a child. This article is part of a qualitative research project, which examined the experiences of racialized immigrant fathers who experienced the death of a child. Guided by Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory, the methodological aim was to develop a theoretical framework grounded in fathers' experiences of child death within the hospital setting. Findings suggest that for racialized immigrant fathers their migration experience compounds their losses in unexpected ways and that experiences of objectification or 'othering' in hospital and by health care staff were significant.

A Test of Objectification Theory With Sexual Minority Women

With this study, we aimed to advance objectification theory research with sexual minority women by examining the understudied roles of appearance anxiety and interoceptive awareness concomitantly with other key variables, including sexual objectification experiences, internalization of cultural appearance standards, body surveillance, and body shame. We also examined depressive symptoms as a criterion variable in addition to eating disorder symptoms. Survey data from 201 sexual minority women were analyzed. Manifest variable path analysis of the hypothesized model explained 35% and 27% of the variance in eating disorder and depressive symptoms, respectively. Results revealed a distinct pattern of cross-sectional direct and indirect relations for eating disorder and depressive symptoms. Specifically, body shame was a key unique correlate of eating disorder symptoms and linked internalization of cultural appearance standards and body surveillance with eating disorder symptoms. Appearance anxiety was a key unique correlate of depressive symptoms and linked internalization of cultural appearance standards and body surveillance with depressive symptoms. Sexual objectification experiences and interoceptive awareness generally did not yield significant unique direct or indirect relations in the model. These findings suggest distinct and complementary points of intervention to mitigate eating disorder and depressive symptoms for sexual minority women.

“I’m Getting Violated … for My Health”: Experiences of Pelvic Exams among Women With Low Incomes

The pelvic exam (PE) has long been a core component of women’s preventive healthcare. Although PEs are routine, some women experience exam-related pain and psychological distress, which are associated with intermittent use of healthcare. We conducted in-depth interviews with 12 cisgender women to explore their knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of PEs. Four themes were generated: (1) experiences of objectification, (2) a cycle of uncertainty, (3) negotiation of agency, and (4) potential for positive experiences. Future research is necessary to assess the direct impact of PE experiences on reproductive health equity and to inform communication-focused interventions and patient-centered best-practice guidelines.

Control Beliefs, Age, and Objectification Experiences in Younger and Older Women

Control beliefs show age-related patterns; mastery decreases in adulthood, while constraints beliefs often increase. However, there is a great deal of individual variation. This paper addresses antecedents of control beliefs, with attention to experiences and beliefs related to sexual objectification, which have particular impact for women. In this study, younger women (N = 132, M = 20.93) and older women (N = 86, M = 67.83) were surveyed regarding their experiences with sexual objectification and constraints beliefs. Multiple regression analyses revealed higher self-objectification was associated with higher constraints (R2 = .09**) and lower mastery (R2 = .11**) but reports of body evaluation and sexual advances were not associated with control beliefs. Further, there were no interactions of either objectification scale with age. These results suggest that objectification may be an important part of the aging experience across the life course, not just in young adulthood.