Trait-level Predictors of Objectification in Heterosexual Men

Abstract

Sexual objectification is a problem routinely faced by nearly all Australian women, yet little work has been done to understand the traits of heterosexual men who are most likely to objectify women. Sexual objectification occurs when a woman’s sexual parts or functions are separated from the rest of her personhood for either use or to replace her identity. Experiencing sexual objectification is associated with increased body shame and eating disorder symptoms, and has been experimentally linked to reduced cognitive performance. The present study aimed to determine the strongest trait-level predictors of sexually objectifying behaviours and attitudes in heterosexual men. 164 heterosexual adult males completed a short online survey which measured traits including aggression, empathy, hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and desire for power, as well as a measure of interpersonal sexual objectification (both behaviours and attitudes). This study also considered, as a secondary aim, the relationship between dehumanisation and objectification. Higher levels of sexual objectification perpetration were associated with lower levels of empathy, lower agreeableness, lower openness, increased hostile and benevolent sexism, increased aggression, and an increased desire to have power over others. Regression analyses indicated that hostile sexism and affective empathy explained unique variance in the prediction of sexual objectification. Results also indicated that animalistic dehumanisation of women was associated with sexual objectification of women. This research is an early, but nonetheless necessary, steppingstone in the development of interventions to help reduce sexual objectification in Australian society.