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Objectification Theory Predicts College Women’s Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery

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Abstract

This study investigated cosmetic surgery attitudes within the framework of objectification theory. One hundred predominantly White, British undergraduate women completed self-report measures of impression management, global self-esteem, interpersonal sexual objectification, self-surveillance, body shame, and three components of cosmetic surgery attitudes. As expected, each of the objectification theory variables predicted greater consideration of having cosmetic surgery in the future. Also, as expected, sexual objectification and body shame uniquely predicted social motives for cosmetic surgery, whereas self-surveillance uniquely predicted intrapersonal motives for cosmetic surgery. These findings suggest that women’s acceptance of cosmetic surgery as a way to manipulate physical appearance can be partially explained by the degree to which they view themselves through the lenses of sexual and self-objectification.

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Acknowledgement

This research was supported by an ESRC postdoctoral fellowship to Rachel Calogero.

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  1. School of Psychology, Keynes College, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NP, UK

    Rachel M. Calogero, Afroditi Pina & Zara Rahemtulla

  2. University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Lora E. Park

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  1. Rachel M. Calogero
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  2. Afroditi Pina
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Correspondence to Rachel M. Calogero.

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Calogero, R.M., Pina, A., Park, L.E. et al. Objectification Theory Predicts College Women’s Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery. Sex Roles 63, 32–41 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9759-5

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