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Abstract
Sexually objectifying media have been claimed to provide adolescents with heterosexual scripts. The endorsement of such scripts has been linked to negative dating attitudes. Evidence supporting these assumptions in a younger sample is currently lacking. Accordingly, the current cross-sectional study among 727 preadolescents (Mage = 11.57, SD = .52) sought to examine the link between preadolescents’ exposure to sexually objectifying television scripts and self- and interpersonal objectification. A moderated mediation model revealed that exposure to sexually objectifying television scripts was positively related to preadolescents’ endorsement of an objectified dating script. In turn, the endorsement of an objectified dating script caused girls and, to a lesser extent, boys to objectify themselves. No gender differences were found for interpersonal objectification: Boys’ and girls’ endorsement of an objectified dating script was positively related to objectifying notions about girls and women in general.
FUNDING
Funding was provided by the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (#G050513N).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Ann Rousseau
Ann Rousseau (M.Sc., KU Leuven, 2013) is a Ph.D. candidate in the School for Mass Communication Research at KU Leuven. Her research interests include the effects of media sexualization on preadolescents’ body image and sexual development.
Steven Eggermont
Steven Eggermont (Ph.D., KU Leuven, 2006) is a Professor of Media Psychology and Director in the School for Mass Communication Research at KU Leuven. His research interests include children’s and adolescents’ media use, media use and health behaviors, and the processes underlying media effects.