Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale

Abstract

This study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale (ISOS). Data from 576 college women were collected in three studies. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered two factors: Body Evaluation and Unwanted Explicit Sexual Advances; confirmatory factor analysis supported this factor structure. ISOS scores were internally consistent and stable over a 3-week period. Supporting its construct validity, ISOS scores were (a) strongly related to sexist degradation; (b) slightly to moderately related to other sexist events, self-objectification (i.e., body surveillance and internalization of the thin-ideal), and body shame; and (c) unrelated to socially desirable responding. The relationship between ISOS scores and body shame was fully mediated by self-objectification, providing additional evidence for its construct validity. Furthermore, the ISOS garnered incremental validity, as it predicted self-objectification above and beyond the variance accounted for by sexist events.

When What You See Is What You Get

“…At the end of the study, participants were asked to indicate whether their partner engaged in the following nonverbal behaviors on a 7-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (extremely disagree) to 7 (extremely agree): smiled frequently, leaned forward while we were talking, seemed preoccupied with how I looked rather than what I was saying (modified from the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale, Kozee et al, 2007), made notes of what I was saying, responded supportively to my answers, acted in a professional way, and touched me on the leg or arm. They were also asked to write the gist of the feedback they received from their partner.…”

“…The latter part of the objectifying gaze manipulation is consistent with recent considerations of ''complimentary'' sexual objectification. Although most previous research has focused on critical forms of objectification (e.g., rude body-related comments; Gapinski, Brownell, & LaFrance, 2003;Kozee et al, 2007), Calogero et al (2009) found that weight-related compliments were associated with positive moods but also with body surveillance and body dissatisfaction. Tiggemann and Boundy (2008) also found that clothing-related compliments caused more body shame.…”

“…Three sets of findings support this notion. First, women's reported experiences with the objectifying gaze are associated positively with body surveillance and the internalization of thin ideals (Kozee et al, 2007). Second, women's anticipation of the objectifying gaze from men causes increased body shame and social physique anxiety (Calogero, 2004).…”

“…Of the studies that have examined sexual objectification in social interactions, most have been correlational (Calogero, Herbozo, & Thompson, 2009;Fairchild & Rudman, 2008;Huebner & Fredrickson, 1999;Kozee, Tylka, Augustus-Horvath, & Denchik, 2007;Moradi, Dirks, & Matteson, 2005;cf. Tiggemann & Boundy, 2008).…”

When do people “check out” male bodies? Appearance-focus increases the objectifying gaze toward men.

“…This phenomenon is known as the "objectifying gaze" (Kaschak, 1992) and represents an important channel through which objectification is perpetuated and communicated to targets (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997;Kozee, Tylka, Augustus-Horvath, & Denchik, 2007). This objectifying gaze can be operationalized as attending to other's bodies more and faces less (Gervais, Holland, & Dodd, 2013).…”