Social Cognitive Processes and the Objectification of Women: Precursors to Sexual Aggression and Violence

Abstract

The current study investigates the cognitive underpinnings of objectification and implications for aggressive behaviors perpetrated against women. Past research has found that humans utilize different processing systems, depending on what is being perceived. Configural processing (global processing) is used when recognizing people, whereas analytical processing (local processing) is used when identifying objects. In the present study, we utilized a recognition task called the 'parts versus whole body recognition' paradigm, an indicator of cognitive processes. Previous research suggests that when perceiving men, people are more likely to use configural processing. When perceiving women, people are more likely to engage in analytical processing, indicating that on a cognitive level, women are objectified. We measured individual differences in their objectification of women with the parts versus whole body recognition paradigm. We examined whether sexually coercive men objectified women more than non-sexually coercive men. We examined the relationship between cognitive processing and risk factors of male sexual violence perpetration. Risk factors measured were attitudinal (belief in rape myth, hostility towards women, and conformity to masculine norms) and behavioral (frequency of pornographic use and sexual coercion). It was hypothesized that greater levels of objectification correlate with higher levels of these risk factors. Participants completed the recognition task, followed by questionnaires that assessed the previously stated risk factors. Results did not support the hypothesis; nevertheless, the attitudinal and behavioral risk factors were correlated with each other, with the exception of pornography usage. The implications of using both implicit and explicit measures of behavior could explain these results and are further discussed.