ERIC Number: EJ914803
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2002-Dec
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-6843
EISSN: N/A
Self-Objectification and Its Psychological Outcomes for College Women
Muehlenkamp, Jennifer J.; Saris-Baglama, Renee N.
Psychology of Women Quarterly, v26 n4 p371-379 Dec 2002
The objectification of women by our society can become internalized by women, resulting in negative psychological outcomes. Using Fredrickson and Roberts' (1997) objectification theory, we tested a model of the relationships between self-objectification and disordered eating and depressive symptoms in a sample of undergraduate women (n = 384). One postulate of self-objectification theory is that self-objectification can lead to a lack of internal awareness, which may mediate the relationship between self-objectification and restrictive eating, bulimic, and depressive symptoms. Results of structural equation modeling suggest that self-objectification has a direct relationship to restrictive eating, bulimic, and depressive symptoms. The mediational role of internal awareness was relevant for depressive symptoms but not for restrictive eating or bulimic symptoms. Depressive symptoms did, however, mediate the relationship between self-objectification and bulimic symptoms. The relevance of our findings to the understanding of objectification theory are discussed and future areas of research recommended. (Contains 3 figures, 2 tables, and 1 note.)
Descriptors: Females, Structural Equation Models, Mental Health, Depression (Psychology), Self Concept, Undergraduate Students, Human Body, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Eating Disorders, Metacognition, Measures (Individuals)
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2429/WileyCDA/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Eating Disorder Inventory
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A