Self-Objectification and Self-Sexualization Behavior within Consumer Culture

Women and girls are subject to numerous sexually objectifying messages with serious consequences for their body and mind. This study is an attempt to demonstrate the consequences of self-objectification and the routine self-sexualization behavior of women within consumer culture. Using self-report online questionnaires and structural equation modeling, it was gathered responses from 381 Iranian married women who use internet on a daily basis. The results show that body surveillance is significant in the process of losing self-esteem, attempts at alleviating it through self-sexualization behavior, and finally the tendency to compulsive buying. The discussion focuses on the implications of these findings to explain the relationship among self-objectification, self-esteem and self-sexualization behavior.