Self-Objectification and Alcohol Use in Young Adult College Women

Few studies have explored factors contributing to women’s increasing alcohol consumption and associated consequences. One potential gender-relevant factor is self-objectification or the perspective toward the self where the body is primarily valued for its appearance and sexual appeal (Fredrickson &...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sex roles 2022-06, Vol.86 (11-12), p.667-680
Main Authors: Carretta, Rachel F., Szymanski, Dawn M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advertising
Alcohol Education
Alcohol use
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Drinking
Drinking behavior
Female roles
Females
Gender Studies
Heterosexuality
Mediation
Medicine/Public Health
Online Surveys
Original Article
Psychology
Resistance (Psychology)
Self esteem
Sexual behavior
Sexuality
Sociology
Women
Womens health
Young adults
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Summary:Few studies have explored factors contributing to women’s increasing alcohol consumption and associated consequences. One potential gender-relevant factor is self-objectification or the perspective toward the self where the body is primarily valued for its appearance and sexual appeal (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 ). In the current study, we investigated the link between self-objectification and young adult college women’s alcohol use as well as alcohol use prior to casual sexual activity or “hooking up.” In addition, we examined novel explanatory (i.e., sexual self-esteem, body consciousness during sexual activity, alcohol sexual enhancement expectancies) factors in predicting young adult college women’s drinking behaviors via a parallel-serial multiple mediation model. We recruited participants ( N  = 518; 85% White, 74% heterosexual) via a psychology department human research pool and Facebook advertisements to complete an online survey. Results revealed that self-objectification was positively correlated with alcohol use and alcohol use prior to hooking up. In addition, self-objectification was indirectly related to alcohol use through sexual self-esteem and alcohol sexual enhancement expectancies, as well as indirectly related to alcohol use prior to hooking up through alcohol sexual enhancement expectancies. None of our theorized three-stage mediation chains linking self-objectification to alcohol use behaviors were significant. These findings highlight the potential negative role of self-objectification in women’s health and the importance of focusing on alcohol sexual enhancement expectancies in intervention strategies.
ISSN:0360-0025
1573-2762
DOI:10.1007/s11199-022-01295-0