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Internalizing objectification: Objectified individuals see themselves as less warm, competent, moral, and human
Author(s) -
Loughnan Steve,
Baldissarri Cristina,
Spaccatini Federica,
Elder Laura
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/bjso.12188
Subject(s) - objectification , psychology , humanity , social psychology , morality , competence (human resources) , developmental psychology , epistemology , theology , philosophy
People objectify others by viewing them as less warm, competent, moral, and human (Heflick & Goldenberg, 2009, J. Exp. Soc. Psychol ., 45 , 598; Vaes, Paladino, & Puvia, 2011, Eur. J. Soc. Psychol ., 41 , 774). In two studies, we examined whether the objectified share this view of themselves, internalizing their objectification. In Study 1 ( N = 114), we examined sexual objectification, and in Study 2 ( N = 62), we examined workplace objectification. Consistent across both studies, we found that objectification resulted in participants seeing themselves as less warm, competent, moral (Study 2 only), and lacking in human nature and human uniqueness. These effects were robust to perceiver gender and familiarity (Study 1), and whether another person or a situation caused the objectification (Study 2). In short, the objectified see themselves the manner they are seen by their objectifiers: as lacking warmth, competence, morality, and humanity.