3-144 - Sexualization in Childhood and Early Adolescence: Associations with Peer Relationships, Academics, and Body Image

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Girls live in a culture of ubiquitous sexualization and sexual objectification (APA, 2007). Most research to date has focused on documenting the high rates of sexualization and sexualized images in children’s clothing, media, and toys. Research presented in this symposium, using distinct methods and drawn from samples from different regions of the US and from Italy, focuses on how the prevalent culture of sexualization is related to girls’ developmental outcomes, such as their peer relationships, academic attitudes, and body image. As is evident from the presentations, the culture of sexualization informs how girls in middle childhood and early adolescence are viewed by others, how girls view themselves, and what expectations they hold for others’ behavior. For example, within these four studies, we see that sexualized girls are perceived as less human, and thus are less likely to receive help from peers when bullied, than non-sexualized girls. Sexualization also informs how girls view themselves, such that girls who sexualize themselves are more likely to have weight concerns than less self-sexualized girls. Relatedly, the culture of sexualization seems to foster heteronormative stereotyped expectations about how boys and girls are supposed to behave toward one another. Girls who endorse these stereotypes are more likely to feel negative about their bodies, particularly when they are engaging in objectifying behaviors on social media. Finally, we see that these stereotypes that highly value sexualization seem to exert downward pressures on girls’ academic motivation over time, over and above their academic abilities. Cultural implications will be discussed.

Sub Unit

• Sex, Gender

Chair

• Christia Spears Brown, University of Kentucky

Individual Presentations

• Sexualized Aspect of Child Bullying Victim Decreases Peers’ Helping Intentions: Mediating Role of Perceived Humanness - Presenting Author: Maria Giuseppina Pacilli, University of Perugia; Non-Presenting Author: Federica Spaccatini, University of Perugia; Non-Presenting Author: Carlo Tomasetto, University of Bologna

• Too Cute for School: Self-Sexualization, Media, and Outcomes Among Pre-Adolescent Girls - Presenting Author: Christine R. Starr, University of California, Santa Cruz; Non-Presenting Author: Eileen Zurbriggen, University of California, Santa Cruz

• Objectification in Social Media and Sexualized Gender Stereotypes: Implications for Early Adolescent Body Image - Presenting Author: Ilyssa Salomon, University of Kentucky

• Sexualized Gender Stereotypes Predict Girls’ Academic Self-Efficacy and Motivation Across Middle School - Presenting Author: Christia Spears Brown, University of Kentucky