A Lady Dresses for Him Who Pleases Her: Influence of Mating Motive on (Self-) Objectification of the Female Body

Abstract

Abstract: To explain objectification of the female body, most previous studies have adopted a sociocultural perspective. The current study proposed that objectification of the female body by both genders as well as self-objectification of females might be an adaptive mechanism for sexual choice. With a mating motive prime, results showed that a sexual choice setting could enhance objectification of the female (not male) body by both genders and females’ self-objectification. In this case, participants perceived the female body as an “object” rather than a “person”, and put a stronger emphasis on body attractiveness than on physical competence. The study reveals the psychological mechanisms underlying the influence of mating motive on female objectification, and provides preliminary empirical support for the evolutionary shaping by sexual choice on female objectification.

Key words: objectification, evolutionary psychology, mating motivation, sexual selection

摘要： 以往研究大多从社会文化的角度解释对女性身体的客体化。本研究提出，两性对女性身体的客体化以及女性的自我客体化可能是对性选择的一种适应机制。通过启动择偶动机，本研究发现，性选择情境会引发两性对于女性（而非男性）身体的客体化和自我客体化，将女性身体知觉为“物”而非“人”，更看重其身体的外形吸引力而非能力。研究揭示了择偶动机影响女性身体客体化的心理机制，为性选择对女性身体客体化的进化塑造作用提供了初步实证支持。

关键词: 客体化, 进化心理学, 择偶动机, 性选择

CLC Number:

B849

CAI Liuyang, GAO Yang, PENG Kaiping. A Lady Dresses for Him Who Pleases Her: Influence of Mating Motive on (Self-) Objectification of the Female Body[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(1): 96-103.

蔡浏阳, 高阳, 彭凯平. 女为悦己者容：择偶动机对女性身体（自我）客体化的影响[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2021, 19(1): 96-103.

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