Internalized Sexualization and Its Relation to Sexualized Appearance, Body Surveillance, and Body Shame Among Early Adolescent Girls

McKenney, Sarah J.; Bigler, Rebecca S.

doi:10.1177/0272431614556889

Cited by 61 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 50 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The implication of this finding is that girls seem particularly vulnerable to media messages about sexualized girls, likely because of the greater self‐relevance of the messages. Previous research has pointed out that repeated sexualization messages are associated with negative outcomes for girls, such as increases in body shame, surveillance, and disordered eating, as well as decreases in academic performance, body esteem, and psychological well‐being (Fredrickson et al., ; Lindberg, Grabe, & Hyde, McKenney & Bigler, , ; McKinley, ; Muehlenkamp, Swanson, & Brausch, ; Tiggemann & Lynch, ). The current studies extend this previous research by indicating that even when boys and girls are assessed on a comparable outcome, stereotypes about girls, girls are the most vulnerable to sexualization messages.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Sexualized Girl: A Within‐Gender Stereotype Among Elementary School Children

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Two studies (conducted in 2013) examined whether elementary-aged children endorse a within-gender stereotype about sexualized girls. In Study 1, children (N = 208) ages 6-11 rated sexualized girls as more popular but less intelligent, athletic, and nice compared to nonsexualized girls. These distinctions were stronger for girls and older children, and in accordance with our developmental intergroup theoretical framework, were related to children's cognitive development and media exposure. Study 2 (N = 155) replicated the previous findings using more ecologically valid and realistic images of girls and further explored individual differences in the endorsement of the sexualized girl stereotype. Additional results indicated that the belief that girls should be appearance focused predicted their endorsement of the sexualized girl stereotype.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Sexualized Girl: A Within‐Gender Stereotype Among Elementary School Children

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Participants completed the Internalized Sexualization Scale (ISS; McKenney & Bigler, in press), a 40‐item survey assessing girls' internalization of the belief that being sexually attractive is an important aspect of their identity. Past work indicates that the scale has excellent internal reliability (α = .94), good test–retest reliability across 3 weeks ( r = .81), and convergent and discriminant validity (McKenney & Bigler, ). Participants respond using a 5‐point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of internalized sexualization.…”

Section: Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

High Heels, Low Grades: Internalized Sexualization and Academic Orientation Among Adolescent Girls

McKenney

Bigler

2014

J of Research on Adolesc

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Messages that sexually objectify girls and women are common in popular culture. In two studies, we tested the hypothesis that internalization of the notion that women should be sexually attractive to men is associated with decreased academic success and motivation among early adolescent (10-to 15-year-old) girls. In Study 1, girls (n = 91) who scored higher on a measure of internalized sexualization earned lower grades and standardized test scores than their peers. In Study 2 (n = 95), girls who completed a mock newscast prepared differently as a function of internalized sexualization; girls with higher levels of internalized sexualization spent more time applying makeup, and less time practicing the script, than girls with lower levels of internalized sexualization.

show abstract

“…Among early adolescents, body surveillance has been positively linked to media internalization (McKenney & Bigler, ; Tiggemann & Slater, ). For instance, McKenney and Bigler () found that girls (ages 10–15) with higher levels of internalized media‐promoted standards of attractiveness showed higher levels of body surveillance. However, no empirical evidence exists to support the relation between early adolescents' media internalization and self‐objectification.…”

Section: Early Adolescents' Vulnerability To Sexualizing Messagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tween Television and Peers: Reinforcing Social Agents in Early Adolescents' Body Surveillance and Self‐Objectification

Rousseau

Eggermont

2017

J of Research on Adolesc

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sociocultural models of body image posit that the media and peers play a role in early adolescents' body dissatisfaction. Introducing a sociocultural perspective on youth sexualization, the present three-wave panel study (N = 968, M = 11.30) sought to examine the role of tween television and peer appearance conversations in early adolescents' body surveillance and self-objectification over time. Special attention was given to the mediating role of media internalization in these relationships. The results showed evidence for a reciprocal interaction between media internalization and peer appearance conversations and identified this reciprocal interaction as the underlying mechanism linking tween television exposure to higher levels of body surveillance and self-objectification 1 year later. Implications for body image and media literacy programs are discussed.

show abstract

Internalized Sexualization and Its Relation to Sexualized Appearance, Body Surveillance, and Body Shame Among Early Adolescent Girls

Cited by 61 publications

References 50 publications

The Sexualized Girl: A Within‐Gender Stereotype Among Elementary School Children

The Sexualized Girl: A Within‐Gender Stereotype Among Elementary School Children

High Heels, Low Grades: Internalized Sexualization and Academic Orientation Among Adolescent Girls

Tween Television and Peers: Reinforcing Social Agents in Early Adolescents' Body Surveillance and Self‐Objectification

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About