Masculine Norms, Peer Group, Pornography, Facebook, and Men's Sexual Objectification of Women

• Published in: Psychology of men & masculinity 2017-10, Vol.18 (4), p.257-267
• Main Authors: Mikorski, Renee, Szymanski, Dawn M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Associations; Conformity; Consumption; Gender roles; Human; Male; Masculinity; Objectification; Peers; Pornography; Pornography & obscenity; Power; Sex Offenses; Sex Role Attitudes; Social Media; Social Norms; Violence
• ISSN: 1524-9220; 1939-151X
• DOI: 10.1037/men0000058

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 that endorsement of playboy and violence masculine norms and higher levels of pornography use uniquely predicted more body evaluation of women. 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 were unique predictors of making unwanted sexual advances. Conformity to playboy, power over women, and violence masculine norms each predicted making unwanted sexual advances toward women for men with high association with abusive male peers but not low or moderate association with abusive male peers. The findings underscore the need to target adherence to traditional masculine norms, negative male peer group associations, and pornography and Facebook use in interventions aimed at reducing men's sexual objectification of women.