Sexy, Thin, and White: The Intersection of Sexualization, Body Type, and Race on Stereotypes about Women

Sexual objectification versus empowerment: Examining the effects of sexualized women's facial expression on viewers' evaluations of social cognition and self-objectification

Objectification scholarship highlights how traditional media portrayals oftentimes direct attention toward women's bodies and away from their faces which communicate important social information. This study sought to investigate how thin-ideal, white women's facial expression potentially attenuates the negative effects of appearing in a sexually objectifying manner using validated imagery. In a 2 × 3 between-subjects experiment (N = 1001 U.S. adult women; Mage = 42.56, SDage = 12.72), portraits of women varied in their sexualization (non-sexualized vs. sexualized) and facial expression (neutral expression, low-intensity smiling, high-intensity smiling) to better understand how these factors influence dimensions of social cognition (competence, warmth, authenticity), self-promotional attributions, and viewers' own self-objectification. Results revealed that viewers rated sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) women lower in competence and authenticity, as well ascribed more self-promotional explanations for their behavior. Moreover, exposure to sexualized women heightened viewers' self-objectification, regardless of facial expression. Results also indicated that smiling intensity positively influenced viewers' ratings of social cognition. However, there is little evidence that smiling intensity overrides the negative effects of sexualization. Implications for the sexual objectification of women are discussed.

Advocating, Unlearning, Tearing It All Down? How BIPOC Young Adults with Mental Health Concerns Perceive and Engage with the Media

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the salience of issues related to social justice, mental health, and health equity. During this time, the media have been instrumental in amplifying social movements but also in spreading mis/disinformation, violence, and hatred. Among communities who have been affected heavily during this time are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) young adults who have a mental illness/significant mental health concerns. As frequent engagers and creators of media, their perspectives are critical to informing what aspects of the media should be leveraged to promote the health, well-being, and safety of people who have been marginalized. Thus, our study asks: How do BIPOC young adults (in the United States) who have a behavioral health diagnosis or significant mental health concerns perceive the media? Guided by intersectionality and grounded theory, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 participants. The results reveal participants' 1) deep recognition of how the media uphold oppressive structures and 2) identification of ways that people have used and can use the media to fight those same structures. Researchers and media leaders should listen to, center the experiences of, collaborate with, and follow the lead of people who have been marginalized. This is critical to transforming the media such that they promote the well-being of all people.

The strength of correlation between female genital self-image and sexual function: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Mounting evidence indicates that female genital aesthetic complaints impact sexual relationships.

AIM

The study sought to determine the strength of the correlation between genital self-image and sexual function.

METHODS

Electronic databases were comprehensively searched including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from January 2000 to December 2022. After duplicate removal, 146 articles were retrieved by searching keywords in titles and abstracts.

OUTCOMES

A positive correlation is noted between genital self-image and sexual function; the strength of this correlation was 0.375.

RESULTS

By omitting irrelevant articles according to the eligibility criteria, 16 articles remained for a total of 13 505 participants. All but 1 of them indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between genital self-image and sexual function. For a more accurate result, a meta-analysis was conducted noting a considerable heterogeneity.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The results of this study may be used in counseling women with sexual dysfunction who are dissatisfied with their genital appearance.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

This study is the first systematic review to reveal the strength of the correlation between genital self-image and sexual function. The most important limitation of this study is the heterogeneity of the studies reported.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review indicates a positive correlation between genital self-image and sexual function. The results are restricted by inconsistency of the articles considered. Using different tools in different cultural contexts without considering confounding factors leads to a wide range of correlation sizes and significant heterogeneity is evident.

Predictive Factors of Listeners' Attitudes Related to Dysphonic Voices in Native Brazilian Portuguese

OBJECTIVES

To verify whether there are differences in the judgments of listeners' attitudes as a function of the presence, severity, and type of vocal deviation, and to identify the predictive factors of listeners' attitudes toward dysphonic voices in Brazilian Portuguese speakers.

METHODS

A sample of CAPE-V sentences was used from 44 subjects of both genders. The samples presented different severities of vocal deviation (general grade - GG) (healthy, mild, moderate, and severe) and different degrees of roughness (GR), breathiness (GB), and strain (GS), characterized by a perceptual-auditory judgment performed by speech therapists. The samples were presented to 152 listeners of both genders who performed the judgment of 12 attitudes inserted in a semantic differential scale previously validated for this study. Here, we used a Logistic Regression Model.

RESULTS

There was no association between listener's gender and the judgment of attitudes. Subjects with vocal quality deviation were judged more negatively in relation to vocally healthy individuals. We observed that higher the GG, higher the negative judgment of listeners in relation to the speakers. Listeners judged breathy and strained voices as more negative. In the general model for female and male voices, the increase in GB and GG reduced the chance of a voice being evaluated positively by 16 and 20%, respectively. For female voices, GB and GS reduced the chance of a female voice being evaluated positively by 36 and 19%, respectively. GG reduces the chance of a male voice being evaluated positively by 46%, while GR increases the chance of a male voice being judged positively by 62 %.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an association between the presence, severity, and type of vocal deviation and listeners' attitudes. We identified a predictive model of listeners' attitudes related to dysphonic voices among Brazilian Portuguese speakers. In general, GG and GB were predictors of negative attitudes toward listeners. GB and GS were predictors of negative attitudes toward female voices. The GG is a predictor of negative attitudes toward male voices, while the GR increases the chance of positive judgments.

Fat, sexy, and human? Perceptions of plus-size sexualized women and dehumanization

Past research suggests that sexualized women are dehumanized and viewing sexualized images negatively impacts viewers' body image; however, plus-size women are mostly absent from this research. The current studies investigate how sexualization impacts dehumanization of plus-size women and participants' body image. In Study 1 (N = 277, M_age = 19.52, SD =1.77) men and women viewed images of plus-size and thin sexualized and non-sexualized women and rated the women on traits linked to dehumanization. Results indicated that sexualized thin targets were perceived as less human than plus-size sexualized and non-sexualized targets. Plus-size sexualized targets were also perceived as less human than plus-size non-sexualized targets. In Study 2 (N = 500, M_age = 18.98, SD = 1.51) we investigated the impact of viewing sexualized images on participants' feelings about their own body. Results indicated that sexualization, but not body size, impacted women's objectified body consciousness. Men's body esteem was impacted by the body size of the image. Perceived race of the image also impacted feelings of body control for both men and women. Taken together these results highlight that sexualization, at any body size, impacts women's views about themselves and sexualized women, at any body size, are dehumanized.

Associations between Body Image and Self-Perceived Physical Fitness in Future Spanish Teachers

Body image is a complex construct related to how each person perceives their own body and how they value it. Physical fitness and physical activity are factors that can influence the perception of a better or worse body image. This study aimed to identify the potential associations between body image and physical fitness self-perception in future Spanish teachers, analysing possible sex-related differences. A total of 278 Spanish university students answered the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire and the International Fitness Scale, having an average age of 22 years, of which 40% were men and 60% were women. Nonparametric techniques (Spearman's Rho test) were used as the data did not fit normality. The findings showed associations between body image and perceived physical fitness, confirming differences between the sexes. Correlations were found between the first three dimensions of the Multidimensional Body Self Relations and the International Fitness Scale, with sex-related differences being more significant in women than in men, and between the physical abilities self-assessed by the International Fitness Scale (except flexibility) and the dimensions of the Multidimensional Body Self Relations (except Dimension 4). Since body image influences well-being and conditions the time spent exercising, public health organisations and universities should design supports to improve master students' body image through physical activity programmes, education and sex-specific individualised attention.

Generation Z Young People’s Perception of Sexist Female Stereotypes about the Product Advertising in the Food Industry: Influence on Their Purchase Intention

Previous studies have generated important insights into consumer behavior. However, no study has addressed how to persuade young people belonging to Generation Z to increase the purchase intention of food products from a gender perspective. Drawing on ambivalent sexism theory, this paper explores the influence of the attitude toward advertising and the ethical judgment to predict consumers’ food product purchase intention. We applied a quantitative method, partial least squares structural equation modeling, to 105 individuals. Two advertisements with different food products and female role stereotype categories are using: (1) women in a traditional role or housewife’s role (benevolent sexism), and (2) women in a decorative role or physical attractiveness (hostile). However, the results show that attitude toward advertising has a direct and positive influence on purchase intention in advertisement with benevolent sexism. In addition, the effect of ethical judgment on consumers’ food product purchase intention is not significant. In the advertisement with hostile sexism, both—attitude toward advertising and ethical judgment—directly and positively impact purchase intention. The study provides a novelty conceptual model in the food industry for Generation Z and recommendations on the use of female sexist stereotypes in food and beverage advertising.

Objectifying the body positive movement: The effects of sexualizing and digitally modifying body-positive images on Instagram

The body positive movement on social media seeks to challenge narrow conceptualizations of beauty that media outlets traditionally perpetuate and reinforce. Through a 2 × 2 between-subjects online experiment, we examined how the nature and authenticity of body-positive imagery on social media affects female viewers and their evaluations of body-positive content (N = 425, M_age = 35.47, SD_age = 13.52). Specifically, participants viewed and reacted to a series of 10 body-positive images of women on social media varying in their degree of sexualization (sexualized vs. non-sexualized) and evidence of digital photo modifications (modification icons vs. no modification icons). A control group that featured landscape images was also included. Results indicate body-positive images that are considered sexualized and are believed to be digitally modified can undercut the movement's intended aims: Participants who viewed body-positive images that were sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) and included photo modification icons (vs. no modification icons) reported greater endorsement of traditional beauty ideals (e.g., thinness) and thought the images were shared for self-serving reasons (e.g., to gain likes/shares/endorsements); these relationships were mediated by the extent to which viewers believed these images were sexualized and digitally modified. Further, results indicate that sexualized body-positive images can instigate sexual objectification of others and oneself. Those who viewed control images (vs. experimental body-positive images) produced significantly fewer sexually objectifying words about others and themselves. Implications for both viewers and producers (e.g., individuals, corporations) of body-positive imagery on social media are discussed in light of objectification theory.