Who Objectifies? Trait and Situational Predictors of Interpersonal Objectification in a Sample of Male and Female Perpetrators

Abstract

Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) originally proposed objectification theory as a framework for understanding women’s oppressed experiences, and the consequences that come with being female in a society that sexually objectifies the female body. Since then, studies have also applied this theory to male victims of objectification, as well as used it to explain a number of wider issues such as sexual violence, body image issues, and low self-esteem. However, what causes or contributes to the perpetration of objectification is still somewhat unknown. While there are studies exploring how situational factors contribute to this problem, there is very little research looking at the specific personality traits of the objectifier. The present study fills in this gap by exploring whether certain personality traits can predict one’s likelihood of objectifying others, in order to determine which traits are the best predictors. Additionally, some situational factors are also further explored. To test this, a survey was administered to a sample of 203 male and female participants, measuring their objectification perpetration, as well as six personality traits including dominance; desire for control; need for power; conservatism; sexism; and value for fairness. Additionally, two situational factors were also measured, which included sexual media use, and gender-typical childhood socialisation. The primary findings are that value for fairness significantly predicts men’s objectification of women, while sexism significantly predicts women’s objectification of men. Limitations and future research directions are discussed, as well as the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.