That Swimsuit Becomes You: Sex Differences in Self-Objectification, Restrained Eating, and Math Performance

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This article is based on the sexual objectification theory of American women. Sexual objectification implies that women are being put under scrutiny based on their appearance. Then the theory posits that girls and women internalize these ideas within themselves and become preoccupied with their appearance. The author believes that American women have been an object of such scrutiny. This the authors exemplify through a very simple example of media’s depiction of women and men, where the latter is depicted with emphasis on head and face, women are mostly depicted with over-emphasis on their body. This article aims to study the effect of such “sexual objectification” by media on women.

The theory on self-objectification states that sexual objectification internalizes among girls and women and takes the shape of self-objectification, which in turn, leads to psychological consequences such as increased shame, increased anxiety, decreased “flow” states, and intensity to bodily cues. This leads to mental health risks such as disordered eating, depression, sexual dysfunction, etc. but the self-affirmation theory will state that self-objectification will enhance an individual’s mental abilities and so the ability to do mathematics.

The hypothesis the authors take to prove their study is self-objectification produces body shame, reduces the mental ability and math performance, and this is more evident among women than men.

Two experiments were conducted on the participants, the first where they were asked to try a swimsuit or a sweater and then answer a questionnaire aimed at measuring body shame. The second experiment was done through a food taste test and a math test.

72 participants were randomly assigned to the experiment and their weights were taken and accordingly labeled as underweight, normal weight, and overweight (24, 38, and 10 respectively). The questionnaire they answered was based on twelve body attributes and how important each is to their physical self-concept. They used an indirect method of body shame. They used measures such as motivational and behavioral components of shame such as the desire to hide, escape, turn away, disappear, or become smaller, as well as the desire to change the failed aspects of the self. The participants rated themselves based on a 4-point scale.

The analysis was done in three phases: first, it was done on a unisex scale, the second was to try on and evaluate an item of clothing alone in a dressing room with a full-length mirror, and the third was the taste test where the participants tasted a cookie or a chocolate-flavored drink.

The results of the study showed that women with a high degree of self-objectification measured more on body shame. Further, a greater amount of body shame was found among women who tried the swimsuit. Body shame also restricted the eating habits of the participants were also found. But the limitations to this study as stated by the authors are, they cannot be sure that the self-objectification led body was due to trying on the swimsuit alone. Further, this experiment was conducted only on women, restricting us from knowing if this would have a similar effect on men too. This is solved in the second experiment where their results showed that men were indifferent whether they tried a swimsuit or a sweater but the result did not draw any conclusive result regarding women’s perception of body shame.

References

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Brown, J.D., Halpern, C.H., and L’Engle, K.L. “Mass media as a sexual super peer for early maturing girls”, Journal of Adolescent Health 36, 2005: pp.420–427.

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Cohen, S. “Media Exposure and the Subsequent Effects on Body Dissatisfaction, Disordered Eating, and Drive for Thinness: A Review of the Current Research” Mind Matters: The Wesleyan Journal of Psychology Vol. 1, 2006: pp. 57-71.

Okunna, C.S. “Portrayal of Women in Nigerian Home Video Films: Empowerment or Subjugation?” Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. 1996.

Fredrickson, B. L. Roberts, T.A. Noll, S. M. Quinn D.M. and Twenge, J.M. “That Swimsuit Becomes You: Sex Differences in Self-Objectification, Restrained Eating, and Math Performance” Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyVol. 75, No. 1, 1998: pp.269-284.

Martin, C.K. “Girls, Video Games, and the Traditional Stereotype of Female Characters” Communication 270, 1999

Peterson, R. and Jun, M. “Eating Disorders and Advertising Effects: an Exploration” Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, Volume 8, Number 1, 2004

Ward, S. Buck, M. Hofman, B. Tanjic, S. and Whyte D. “Baby You Got Me in the Shape I’m In: Factors Which Determine Body Image” ANZMAC 2000 Visionary Marketing for the 21st Century: Facing the Challenge 2000.

Stice, E. and Whitenton, K. “Risk Factors for Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Girls: A Longitudinal Investigation”, Developmental Psychology, Vol. 38, No. 5, 2002: pp. 669–678.

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That Swimsuit Becomes You: Sex Differences in Self-Objectification, Restrained Eating, and Math Performance

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