Shame On You And Me – The Relationship Between Sexual Objectification And Body Shame And Appearance Anxiety In Indian Women

Abstract

Objectification theory is a framework that aims to understand the experience of females in a culture that sexually objectifies their bodies. It suggests that females are socialized to internalize the perspective of others around them, and basing it as the primary way to view themselves physically. Cultural body standards provide an ideal body image that is impossible to achieve, and those who internalise the achievement of those standards with their identity, may have increased feelings of shame when they do not measure up. The prese

nt study aimed to investigate the relationship of sexual objectification and body shame and appearance anxiety in women in India. 400 participants who identify as female, and over the age of 18 participated in the study, and completed three questionnaires – Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale, the body shame subscale of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, and Appearance Anxiety Scale, to measure their levels of sexual objectification, body shame, and appearance anxiety respectively. The results found a significant positive correlation between sexual objectification and body shame and appearance anxiety. However, there was no statistically significant difference in levels of sexual objectification in the three age groups. Limitations of the study and potential future research has also been discussed.