Self-Objectification and Well-Being in Women's Daily Lives

Abstract

Laboratory experiments and surveys show that self-objectification increases body shame, disrupts attention, and negatively predicts well-being. Using experience sampling methodology, the authors investigated self-objectification in the daily lives of 49 female college students. Building on the predictions of objectification theory, they examined associations between internalizing an observer's perspective on the self and psychological well-being, and examined the moderating roles of trait self-esteem and appearance-contingent self-worth. Within-person increases in self-objectification predicted decreased well-being, but this association was moderated by trait self-esteem and trait appearance-contingent self-worth; high self-esteem, highly appearance-contingent participants reported increased well-being when they self-objectified. Furthermore, perceived unattractiveness partially mediated the main effect and the three-way interaction: high self-esteem, highly contingent participants experienced smaller drops in well-being when they self-objectified, in part because they felt less unattractive. These results suggest that in daily life, some women receive a boost from self-objectification, although most women experience decreases in well-being when self-objectifying.

On Objects and Actions: Situating Self-Objectification in a System Justification Context

“…Research demonstrates that women who self-objectify report less negative mood (Fea & Brannon, 2006;Tiggemann & Boundy, 2008) as well as boosts to self-esteem and well-being (Breines, Crocker, & Garcia, 2008;Goldenberg, Cooper, Heflick, Routledge, & Arndt, 2011) when sexually objectified. Indeed, although women are more dependent on men for financial support and protection, men are more dependent on women in the realm of intimate and sexual relations, allowing women to wield some power in heterosexual relationships (Rudman & Glick, 2008).…”

Female Disempowerment Disguised as a Halloween Costume

“…Similarly, as Macmillan et al observed of women's costuming preferences, full disguises are less desirable, in particular because anonymity does not allow the wearer to get "credit" for the ornamental display she feels compelled to exhibit [5]. This is in marked contrast to achievement contexts, where women report downplaying display demands with clothing that conceals (or disguises) the body to regulate other's sexual objectification and their own self-objectifying bodymonitoring [22,23]. It is also in contrast to what how boys approach their costuming.…”

Can Self-Esteem Protect Against the Deleterious Consequences of Self-Objectification for Mood and Body Satisfaction in Physically Active Female University Students?

“…However, recent research suggests that not all women are negatively affected by self-objectifying situations (Breines, Crocker, & Garcia, 2008). Specifically, levels of self-esteem may be important to consider in understanding the differential effect of self-objectification on well-being.…”

“…In a diary study examining the role of naturally occurring self-identified self-objectifying situations, Breines et al (2008) demonstrated that individual differences in self-esteem moderated the effect of self-objectification on wellbeing, such that women with high levels of self-esteem experienced higher levels of well-being in self-objectifying situations than their lower self-esteem counterparts. This suggests the possibility that women with high self-esteem might be protected against some of the deleterious consequences of self-objectification.…”