Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0007-4387-9851

Graduation Year

2025

Date of Submission

4-2025

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Heidi Blocker

Rights Information

2025 Jose F. Najas

Abstract

The sexual objectification of women is associated with harmful outcomes, including increased tolerance for sexual violence and perceptions of women as less moral and competent (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997; Heflick & Goldenberg, 2009). Objectification is often framed as a form of dehumanization, with theorists suggesting that moral emotions like disgust and contempt may mediate this process (Haidt, 2003; Steiger, 2019). The present study examined whether perspective-taking reduces explicit and implicit dehumanization of a sexually objectified woman and whether reductions in disgust and contempt mediate this relationship. Participants (N = 33) read a vignette about a sexualized woman and were assigned to either a perspective-taking or control condition. Results revealed no significant effects of the manipulation on explicit or implicit dehumanization, nor on state empathy, disgust, or contempt. Results are mainly explained through methodological limitations, including low statistical power and potentially ineffective objectification stimuli. Despite null findings, exploratory analyses revealed that participants’ prior experiences of objectification were positively related to empathy for the vignette character, suggesting experience-based empathy may shape responses. A significant correlation between disgust and contempt further supports their conceptual overlap in dehumanization research. Finally, evidence of implicit dehumanization was observed, reinforcing the relevance of unconscious biases. These findings suggest future research should use more evocative stimuli, larger and more diverse samples, and consider both emotional and experiential factors when studying the mechanisms of dehumanization in sexual objectification.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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