A Preliminary Experimental Study of Self-Objectification and Risky Sex Behavior Among a University Sample of Cisgender Women in the U.S.

Self-objectification is associated with a number of negative mental and behavioral outcomes. Though previous research has established associations between self-objectification and risky sex, no study to date has examined whether self-objectification affects propensity to engage in risky sex. The cur...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Archives of Sexual Behavior Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 1643 - 1652
Autores principales: Ingram, Katherine M., Collado, Anahi, Felton, Julia W., Yi, Richard
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Springer Nature May2023
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Self-objectification is associated with a number of negative mental and behavioral outcomes. Though previous research has established associations between self-objectification and risky sex, no study to date has examined whether self-objectification affects propensity to engage in risky sex. The current research employed an experimental design to examine the effect of heightened self-objectification on a laboratory analog of risky sex (n = 181). We observed that when college-attending women experienced a heightened state of self-objectification, they were more likely to engage in sex without a condom and less likely to wait to use a condom with a highly desirable partner. Given the frequency of intended and unintended objectifying messages that young women face, this increase in willingness to engage in risky sex behavior represents a consequential health concern.