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Self-objectification and compliment type: Effects on negative mood.

Courtney J Fea¹, Laura A Brannon

¹Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States.

|December 20, 2007

Summary

Women high in trait self-objectification experience less negative mood when receiving appearance or character compliments. This suggests positive feedback can temporarily improve well-being for these individuals.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Social Psychology
Women's Studies

Background:

Trait self-objectification is linked to heightened body shame and appearance anxiety in women.
Understanding how external feedback impacts mood in self-objectifying individuals is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the influence of compliment type on negative mood in women with varying levels of trait self-objectification.
To explore the role of self-esteem contingency on others' approval.

Main Methods:

185 undergraduate women completed mock appearance evaluations and interviews.
Participants received neutral, character, or appearance compliments.
A supplementary study examined self-esteem contingency in 53 participants.

Main Results:

Women high in trait self-objectification reported greater body shame and appearance anxiety.
Positive compliments (character or appearance) reduced negative mood in high self-objectifying women compared to neutral compliments.
Self-esteem in highly self-objectifying women was contingent on external approval.

Conclusions:

Positive compliments, particularly those related to character or appearance, can temporarily alleviate negative mood in women high in trait self-objectification.
Self-esteem's reliance on external validation plays a role in this effect.
Interventions could leverage positive feedback to support women prone to self-objectification.