Chapter 6

Question 1

Objectification

Answer 1

The viewing of a person as an object to be looked at rather than as a human being inhabiting a skin
- Generally framed as the female body being an object gazed by others

Question 2

Objectification theory

Answer 2

how living in a culture that objectifies women is harmful to women
- women internalize an observer’s perspective as a primary view of their physical selves

Question 3

Body dissatisfaction

Answer 3

you don’t feel comfortable or satisfied with your physical appearance

Question 4

self-objectification

Answer 4

when someone turns the objectifying gaze on themselves in order to evaluate the extent to which they conform to societal standards of beauty
- Normative discontent: the normal state for girls and women with respect to their bodies is to feel unhappy or dissatisfied

Question 5

Beauty norms

Answer 5

shared standards for attractiveness, whether implicitly or explicitly stated, that are held by members of a given social group
- convey information about what is accepted, expected and valued

Question 6

Tripartite model of social influence

Answer 6

based on the idea that the combination of parents, peers and the media constitutes the key influence

Question 7

body esteem

Answer 7

the degree to which people view their bodies positively

Question 8

Internalization

Answer 8

the process of taking on the standards and norms of dominant society as one’s own and then striving to meet those standards

Question 9

social comparison

Answer 9

women and girls may check their appearance against these standard, as well as against the actual appearance

Question 10

Social comparison

Answer 10

women and girls may check their appearance against these standard, as well as against the actual appearance of others

Question 11

Male gaze

Answer 11

how the audience views the people presented
- the object is cast within the assumptions of the heterosexual male
- women are commonly obectified through the eyes or perspectives of men and through media images that emphasize women’s bodies

Question 12

muscle dysmorphia

Answer 12

the belief that one is too small and not muscular enough

Question 13

Body appreciation

Answer 13

accepting, respecting and having a favorable opinion of one’s own body as well as rejecting unrealistic body ideals portrayed by the media

Question 14

Cultivation theory

Answer 14

greater exposure to media makes the images seem more realistic and believable

Question 15

Face-ism

Answer 15

tendency to have greater facial prominence in images of men and greater body prominence in images of women

Question 16

Body surveillance

Answer 16

taking an observer’s perspective on one’s own body

Question 17

Body shame

Answer 17

ongoing experience of negative emotions as a result of judging one’s body as undesirable

Question 18

process of self-objectification

Answer 18

Experiences of objectification –> internalization of beauty norms –> self-objectification –> body surveillance –> body shame –> negative outcomes

Question 19

Why does objectification occur? - Economics

Answer 19

• Companies promoting beauty products and plastic surgery make billions of dollars from unrealistic beauty norms
• preoccupying women with achieving beauty norms keeps them from achieving economic and political power

Question 20

Why does objectification occur? - Mortality

Answer 20

• Terror management
• objects are immortal, so viewing oneself as an object may reduce mortality fears

Question 21

Terror management theory

Answer 21

idea that anything that reminds us of our mortality needs to be managed to reduce our anxiety about death

Question 22

Intuitive eating

Answer 22

involves eating based on physiological cues of hunger and satiation rather then situational or emotional cues

Question 23

Interoceptive awareness

Answer 23

an awareness of internal physiological signals