Masculine Norms, Peer Group, Pornography, Facebook, and Men’s Sexual Objectification of Women
AUTHOR(S)
PUBLISHED
2017 in Psychology of Men & Masculinity, Vol. 18(4), 257-267
KEY FINDINGS
- Pornography use emerged as a unique predictor of more objectification of women.
- Pornography use uniquely predicted making unwanted sexual advances toward women.
ABSTRACT
In this study, we examined the relations between 3 dimensions of traditional masculine gender role adherence (playboy, power over women, and violence) and likelihood to sexually objectify women via body evaluation and making unwanted sexual advances. In addition, we examined the moderating roles of association with a male peer group that abuses women, pornography consumption, and Facebook use in these links. Participants were 329 heterosexually identified undergraduate men who completed an online survey. Results revealed... READ FULL ABSTRACT
EXCERPTS
- "Our study addressed recent calls to fill current gaps in the understanding of male perpetration of sexual aggression toward women. In particular, we examined adherence to traditional gender roles with less extreme forms of sexual aggression via unwanted body evaluation and making unwanted sexual advances toward women...Furthermore, pornography use, Facebook use, the interaction of playboy norms and association with abusive male peers, the interaction of power over women norms and association with abusive male peers, and the interaction of violence norms and association with abusive male peers uniquely predicted making unwanted sexual advances toward women. These findings are consistent with feminist perspectives on sexual objectification and sexual assault perpetration that emphasize traditional, restrictive gender role socialization processes and experiences, as well as gender inequality and devaluation of women at micro (e.g., individual), meso (e.g., group and community), and macro (e.g., structural and systemic) levels."
