Surprising Results: Self-Objectification Doesn’t Impact Women’s Cognitive Performance, Reveals New Study
New research challenges the widely accepted belief that self-objectification negatively affects women’s cognitive abilities. The study investigated the impact of self-objectification and anticipated sexualized male gaze on cognitive performance, specifically focusing on working memory.
Study Design and Participants: Conducted by Northwestern University researchers, the well-powered experiment involved 407 women, aged 18–25, predominantly college students. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: control, self-objectification, and male gaze. The study aimed to assess cognitive performance in a non-objectifying environment and under conditions of heightened body awareness.
Working Memory Task: The study utilized a working memory task modeled after the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV, designed to evaluate attention and working memory without introducing factors like math anxiety or stereotype threat.
Contrary Results: Despite increased self-objectification through video-recording, there was no significant reduction in cognitive performance among the three groups. Response accuracy and completion time for arithmetic problems showed no notable differences.
Additional Findings: Completing the working memory task increased anxiety and guilt across all conditions, irrespective of the objectification context. This unexpected discovery highlighted the emotional impact of the task itself.
Methodology Strengths and Limitations: While the study demonstrated robust methodology with well-powered design and preregistration, limitations included a narrow sample primarily consisting of college students from a selective university. Individual differences like sexual orientation and trait self-objectification were not controlled for, limiting generalizability.
Future Research Implications: The surprising results call for further exploration into the conditions influencing the impact of objectification on cognitive performance. Researchers suggest considering a broader range of cognitive tasks and diversifying participant pools to understand individual differences in responses to objectification.
Insights into Coping Mechanisms: The study prompts exploration into how women combat objectification and minimize its cognitive effects. Understanding varied responses to different types of objectification, whether sexual or non-sexual, remains an important avenue for future research.
Contrary to prevailing theories, this study challenges the notion that self-objectification significantly impairs women’s cognitive abilities. The unexpected findings emphasize the need for nuanced exploration into the multifaceted effects of objectification on women’s cognition.
Re-reported from the article originally published in The Psypost
