TY - JOUR
T1 - The Relational Burden of Objectification
T2 - Exploring How Past Experiences of Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Are Related to Relationship Competencies
AU - Terán, Larissa
AU - Jiao, Jian
AU - Aubrey, Jennifer Stevens
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - The present study examines the associations between past experiences of interpersonal sexual objectification (ISO) on relationship initiation, social withdrawal, and positive relationships (which we refer to as relationship competencies). Consistent with objectification theory, we predicted that ISO would be associated with self-objectification, which would then be associated with body shame, appearance anxiety, and stress. In turn, these negative affect variables would be negatively associated with relationship competencies. Data were collected from 392 U.S. college students (M = 21.42 years, SD = 4.03; 32.9% male, 66.8% female). Results show that men and women’s ISO was consistently associated with self-objectification, which was associated with negative affect; direct effects revealed that men’s and women’s ISO was positively associated with relationship initiation. For women, self-objectification, appearance anxiety, and stress serially mediated the associations between ISO and all relationship competencies. For men, self-objectification and appearance anxiety serially mediated the associations between ISO and relationship initiation and social withdrawal whereas self-objectification and stress serially mediated the associations between ISO and social withdrawal and positive relationships. For both women and men, evidence did not support body shame being a link in the serial mediation from ISO to relationship competencies. Results are unpacked illustrating the relational burden of objectification.
AB - The present study examines the associations between past experiences of interpersonal sexual objectification (ISO) on relationship initiation, social withdrawal, and positive relationships (which we refer to as relationship competencies). Consistent with objectification theory, we predicted that ISO would be associated with self-objectification, which would then be associated with body shame, appearance anxiety, and stress. In turn, these negative affect variables would be negatively associated with relationship competencies. Data were collected from 392 U.S. college students (M = 21.42 years, SD = 4.03; 32.9% male, 66.8% female). Results show that men and women’s ISO was consistently associated with self-objectification, which was associated with negative affect; direct effects revealed that men’s and women’s ISO was positively associated with relationship initiation. For women, self-objectification, appearance anxiety, and stress serially mediated the associations between ISO and all relationship competencies. For men, self-objectification and appearance anxiety serially mediated the associations between ISO and relationship initiation and social withdrawal whereas self-objectification and stress serially mediated the associations between ISO and social withdrawal and positive relationships. For both women and men, evidence did not support body shame being a link in the serial mediation from ISO to relationship competencies. Results are unpacked illustrating the relational burden of objectification.
KW - Gender
KW - Interpersonal sexual objectification
KW - Relationship competence
KW - Self-objectification
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089988056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85089988056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11199-020-01188-0
DO - 10.1007/s11199-020-01188-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85089988056
SN - 0360-0025
VL - 84
SP - 610
EP - 625
JO - Sex Roles
JF - Sex Roles
IS - 9-10
ER -