Psychology Objectification Theory Refers to

Psychology Objectification theory refers to the performance of concerning or treating another person purely as a mechanism or article for one's sexual enjoyment. Objectification is an approach that considers a person as a good or as a thing for use, with inadequate consideration for a person's individuality. Objectification is most frequently looked at a societal level, but can also occur at an individual level. The idea of sexual objectification and, and particularly the objectification of women, is a significant thought in feminist theory and psychological theories resulting from feminism.

Sexual objectification takes place both in actual interpersonal relations as well as in the visual mass media. This study set out to test the following hypothesis: 1) self objectification produces body shame, which in turn predicts restrained eating, 2) self objectification diminishes math performance and 3) the emotional and behavioral consequences of self objectification will be evident for women and not for men. There were two experiments conducted in which participants were tested independently in one hour lab sessions. In the first task they were asked to assess a unisex scent.

The purpose was to strengthen the cover story. In the second task they were asked try on and evaluate an item of clothing alone in a dressing room with a full length mirror. Participants were instructed to look at themselves in the mirror and assess the clothing as though you were on an actual shopping trip, deciding whether to buy the item or not. The third task was a taste test. Participants tested and evaluated cookies and a drink.

These first experimental tests provide support for a number of the researcher's predictions. First, people emerge to vary in the degree to which they are pleased about their bodies more from the viewpoint of a third-person than from the viewpoint of a first-person. Second, women self-objectify at a greater rate than men, sustaining the idea that our society socializes women to adopt an objectifying observer's viewpoint on their own bodies. Third, certain circumstances are more likely to prompt self-objectification than others.

These experiments confirmed that trying on a swimsuit is one of these circumstances. This circumstance appears to lead to a sense of being on display even though no actual observers were present. Data from the manipulation check suggested that wearing the swimsuit reduced the person's to feeling that they were nothing more than their body. Trying on swimwear led females to feel embarrassment and repulsion, while this identical circumstance led men to experience bashful and ridiculous thoughts. Shame has been thought to a failure to obtain moral standards.

The researchers interpreted the increased shame felt by women as representing the increased cultural strains put on women to adhere to physical beauty standards. Inducing state self-objectification also reduced math performance only for women, which was consistent with the prediction, that self objectification consume mental assets. The performance decrement established here was in an area in which there is a gender stereotype supporting men. This raised the likelihood that the experimental handling differentially called to women's minds the gender typecast about women's lesser math.