Self-Objectification and Personal Values. An Exploratory Study

Overview

Journal Front Psychol

Date 2017 Jul 11

PMID 28690577

Citations 6

Authors

Chiara Rollero

Norma De Piccoli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Self-objectification occurs when individuals treat themselves as objects to be viewed and evaluated based upon appearance. Literature has largely elucidated links between self-objectification and damaging outcomes in both men and women. The purpose of the present study was to extend past research on the antecedents of self-objectification. We were interested in the role played by specific ideological components, i.e., higher order personal values (self-enhancement, conservation, self-transcendence, and openness to change), in influencing the degree to which individuals internalize the objectifying perspective of the Western cultural milieu, i.e., self-objectify. Undergraduate participants ( = 371, 76.8% women) completed measures of self-objectification (i.e., body surveillance and body shame), and endorsement of higher order values. Regression analyses demonstrated that self-enhancement is linked to higher self-objectification in both men and women, whereas conservation is related only to women's body surveillance. Self-transcendence seemed to act as a buffer against men's body surveillance, whereas openness to change resulted as a buffer against women's body surveillance. Implications are discusses.

Citing Articles

Beyond the Mirror: Future Orientation Reduces Self-Objectification.

Mo Q, Bai B, Yang L, Bai C, Lu W Arch Sex Behav. 2025; .

PMID: 40014239 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-025-03116-3.

The Impact of Upward Social Comparison on Social Media on Appearance Anxiety: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Tian J, Li B, Zhang R Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(1).

PMID: 39851813 PMC: 11759848. DOI: 10.3390/bs15010008.

The healthy eating movement on social media and its psychological effects on body image.

Zaharia A, Gonta I Front Nutr. 2025; 11:1474729.

PMID: 39742097 PMC: 11685096. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1474729.

The multisensory mind: a systematic review of multisensory integration processing in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa.

Brizzi G, Sansoni M, Di Lernia D, Frisone F, Tuena C, Riva G J Eat Disord. 2023; 11(1):204.

PMID: 37974266 PMC: 10655389. DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00930-9.

The relationship between personality traits and willingness to undergo cosmetic surgery in the non-clinical population - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lazarescu G, Vintila M Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1241952.

PMID: 37744591 PMC: 10514507. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1241952.

References

Saguy T, Quinn D, Dovidio J, Pratto F . Interacting like a body: objectification can lead women to narrow their presence in social interactions. Psychol Sci. 2010; 21(2):178-82. DOI: 10.1177/0956797609357751. View

Register J, Katrevich A, Aruguete M, Edman J . Effects of Self-Objectification on Self-Reported Eating Pathology and Depression. Am J Psychol. 2015; 128(1):107-13. DOI: 10.5406/amerjpsyc.128.1.0107. View

Myers T, Crowther J . Sociocultural pressures, thin-ideal internalization, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction: could feminist beliefs be a moderating factor?. Body Image. 2007; 4(3):296-308. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2007.04.001. View

Vandenbosch L, Eggermont S . The three-step process of self-objectification: potential implications for adolescents' body consciousness during sexual activity. Body Image. 2013; 11(1):77-80. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.10.005. View

Grabe S, Ward L, Hyde J . The role of the media in body image concerns among women: a meta-analysis of experimental and correlational studies. Psychol Bull. 2008; 134(3):460-76. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.460. View

Langlois J, Kalakanis L, Rubenstein A, Larson A, Hallam M, Smoot M . Maxims or myths of beauty? A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychol Bull. 2000; 126(3):390-423. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.390. View

McKinley N . The developmental and cultural contexts of objectified body consciousness: a longitudinal analysis of two cohorts of women. Dev Psychol. 2006; 42(4):679-87. DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.42.4.679. View

Bardi A, Buchanan K, Goodwin R, Slabu L, Robinson M . Value stability and change during self-chosen life transitions: self-selection versus socialization effects. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2013; 106(1):131-47. DOI: 10.1037/a0034818. View

Bardi A, Lee J, Hofmann-Towfigh N, Soutar G . The structure of intraindividual value change. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2009; 97(5):913-29. DOI: 10.1037/a0016617. View

10.

Knafo A, Schwartz S . Parenting and adolescents' accuracy in perceiving parental values. Child Dev. 2003; 74(2):595-611. DOI: 10.1111/1467-8624.7402018. View

11.

Liss M, Erchull M, Ramsey L . Empowering or oppressing? Development and exploration of the Enjoyment of Sexualization Scale. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2010; 37(1):55-68. DOI: 10.1177/0146167210386119. View

12.

Karazsia B, van Dulmen M, Wong K, Crowther J . Thinking meta-theoretically about the role of internalization in the development of body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors. Body Image. 2013; 10(4):433-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.06.005. View

13.

Boer D, Fischer R . How and when do personal values guide our attitudes and sociality? Explaining cross-cultural variability in attitude-value linkages. Psychol Bull. 2013; 139(5):1113-47. DOI: 10.1037/a0031347. View

14.

Daniel S, Bridges S . The drive for muscularity in men: media influences and objectification theory. Body Image. 2009; 7(1):32-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2009.08.003. View

15.

Calogero R, Jost J . Self-subjugation among women: exposure to sexist ideology, self-objectification, and the protective function of the need to avoid closure. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2010; 100(2):211-28. DOI: 10.1037/a0021864. View

16.

Tiggemann M, LYNCH J . Body image across the life span in adult women: the role of self-objectification. Dev Psychol. 2001; 37(2):243-53. DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.37.2.243. View

17.

Schwartz S, Cieciuch J, Vecchione M, Davidov E, Fischer R, Beierlein C . Refining the theory of basic individual values. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2012; 103(4):663-88. DOI: 10.1037/a0029393. View

18.

Groesz L, Levine M, Murnen S . The effect of experimental presentation of thin media images on body satisfaction: a meta-analytic review. Int J Eat Disord. 2002; 31(1):1-16. DOI: 10.1002/eat.10005. View

19.

Calogero R . Objectification processes and disordered eating in British women and men. J Health Psychol. 2009; 14(3):394-402. DOI: 10.1177/1359105309102192. View

20.

Vecchione M, Schwartz S, Caprara G, Schoen H, Cieciuch J, Silvester J . Personal values and political activism: a cross-national study. Br J Psychol. 2014; 106(1):84-106. DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12067. View