According to objectification theory, girls and women are socialized to adopt an external observer’s view of the self. Self-objectification occurs when there is an emphasis on physical appearance and a de-emphasis and devaluation of internal and physical competence features, all of which have been related to negative psychological consequences. Trait self-objectification is chronic preoccupation with physical appearance that occurs with little or no environmental appearance cues. While self-objectification has been demonstrated in diverse samples, research suggests self-objectification is particularly prominent for women. This study investigated the relationships between different feminist and sexual identities and trait self-objectification. A sample of 187 undergraduate women was administered a survey to measure affiliation with sexual and feminist identities, self-objectification, and well-being. While support for the protective influence of identification as a feminist, lesbian, and bisexual against self-objectification was not found, two measures of feminist identity development were found to be protective against self-objectification, and some support for the role of connection with the feminist community was found. Results are discussed in the context of objectification theory and constraints of this study.
","abstract_html":"<p>According to objectification theory, girls and women are socialized to adopt an external observer’s view of the self. Self-objectification occurs when there is an emphasis on physical appearance and a de-emphasis and devaluation of internal and physical competence features, all of which have been related to negative psychological consequences. Trait self-objectification is chronic preoccupation with physical appearance that occurs with little or no environmental appearance cues. While self-objectification has been demonstrated in diverse samples, research suggests self-objectification is particularly prominent for women. This study investigated the relationships between different feminist and sexual identities and trait self-objectification. A sample of 187 undergraduate women was administered a survey to measure affiliation with sexual and feminist identities, self-objectification, and well-being. While support for the protective influence of identification as a feminist, lesbian, and bisexual against self-objectification was not found, two measures of feminist identity development were found to be protective against self-objectification, and some support for the role of connection with the feminist community was found. Results are discussed in the context of objectification theory and constraints of this study.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Grey, Melissa"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Open Access Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Silvia von Kluge, PhD, Chair","Stephen Jefferson, PhD","Amy M. Young, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-03-30T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-03-30T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:30Z","subjects":["Self-perception","Body image in women","Feminist psychology","Gender identity","Clinical Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/141","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Silvia von Kluge, PhD, Chair","Stephen Jefferson, PhD","Amy M. Young, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Grey, Melissa"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Self-perception","Body image in women","Feminist psychology","Gender identity","Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/141"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["According to objectification theory, girls and women are socialized to adopt an external observer’s view of the self. Self-objectification occurs when there is an emphasis on physical appearance and a de-emphasis and devaluation of internal and physical competence features, all of which have been related to negative psychological consequences. Trait self-objectification is chronic preoccupation with physical appearance that occurs with little or no environmental appearance cues. While self-objectification has been demonstrated in diverse samples, research suggests self-objectification is particularly prominent for women. This study investigated the relationships between different feminist and sexual identities and trait self-objectification. A sample of 187 undergraduate women was administered a survey to measure affiliation with sexual and feminist identities, self-objectification, and well-being. While support for the protective influence of identification as a feminist, lesbian, and bisexual against self-objectification was not found, two measures of feminist identity development were found to be protective against self-objectification, and some support for the role of connection with the feminist community was found. Results are discussed in the context of objectification theory and constraints of this study.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The influences of identities and social connectedness on self-objectification"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Silvia von Kluge, PhD, Chair","Stephen Jefferson, PhD","Amy M. Young, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Grey, Melissa"],"dc:description.abstract":["According to objectification theory, girls and women are socialized to adopt an external observer’s view of the self. Self-objectification occurs when there is an emphasis on physical appearance and a de-emphasis and devaluation of internal and physical competence features, all of which have been related to negative psychological consequences. Trait self-objectification is chronic preoccupation with physical appearance that occurs with little or no environmental appearance cues. While self-objectification has been demonstrated in diverse samples, research suggests self-objectification is particularly prominent for women. This study investigated the relationships between different feminist and sexual identities and trait self-objectification. A sample of 187 undergraduate women was administered a survey to measure affiliation with sexual and feminist identities, self-objectification, and well-being. While support for the protective influence of identification as a feminist, lesbian, and bisexual against self-objectification was not found, two measures of feminist identity development were found to be protective against self-objectification, and some support for the role of connection with the feminist community was found. Results are discussed in the context of objectification theory and constraints of this study.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/141"],"dc:subject":["Self-perception","Body image in women","Feminist psychology","Gender identity","Clinical Psychology"],"dc:title":["The influences of identities and social connectedness on self-objectification"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:30Z"}