In social interactions—romantic or otherwise—appearance has long been a key factor. Western media frequently uses sexualized imagery, emphasizing body parts to evoke pleasure and enhance a product's appeal, as seen in countless ads. But what are the real-world effects? Extensive social psychology research reveals that sexual objectification strips individuals of core human traits like morality and agency. It also distorts how we perceive their emotions.
A recent study confirms observers show markedly less empathy toward sexually objectified women, impairing their ability to recognize and share those women's feelings.
Researchers used fMRI to measure brain activity in male and female participants during a computer task that induced positive and negative emotions through social inclusion or exclusion. Empathic responses were gauged toward two targets: sexually objectified women and non-objectified women. Simply changing the actresses' clothing—to reveal more skin—significantly reduced empathy compared to more personalized portrayals. “This suggests that observers experienced a reduced ability to share the sexualized female emotions,” explains the researcher.
