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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PS 331"
COURSE NAME: "Socio-Cognitive Perspectives on Objectification and Dehumanization"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2023
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elisa Puvia
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: PS 210 (PS 334 or PS 307 recommended)
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course is organized around the theme of objectification, that is, the perception of human bodies, especially female bodies, as “objects”. It explores the ways in which bodies (both one’s own and that of others) are objectified, and how being objectified can impact individuals’ social functioning, well-being, and their perception in human terms (dehumanization). The course will familiarize students with different theoretical perspectives on objectification as well as empirical findings, allowing them to develop a critical appreciation of this complex phenomenon, its psychological, social, and cultural consequences, and its impact on the perpetration of gender-based crimes.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course follows a seminar format where students learn to reflect upon the issues at hand by critically discussing the assigned readings. The course first introduces traditional literature on socio-cognitive theory about gender roles, schema and gendered behaviours. It then addresses the theoretical perspectives that have attempted to define and frame the phenomenon of objectification, its existential roots, and its cultural foundations. In the second part of the course, attention is devoted toward the understanding of the psychological, social and cultural consequences of objectification. Relevant topics include the relationship between objectification and gender-based violence, the role of media in promoting (self-) objectification, and the impact of objectification on body image and self-esteem. A separate section is reserved to the analysis of the dehumanizing consequences of objectification, and the possible motivations that drive men and women to objectify and even dehumanize objectified targets.

TEXTBOOK

No textbook. The course is based on a selection of academic research papers, book chapters, and popular media. Sample readings are listed in the schedule. The final reading list will be made available on the course website.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the course students should be able to:

 

1.     Understand the socio-cognitive processes involved in objectification and critically evaluate theoretical and methodological approaches to the phenomenon.  (LOS1)

2.     Identify and explain the psychological, social, and cultural implications of objectification in everyday life (LOS1)

3.     Accurately summarize, critically evaluate, and apply information from psychological sources to analyze everyday instances of objectification (LOS2)

4.     Demonstrate effective writing and presentation skills. Write using APA style. (LOS3)
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Psychology of Women and GenderMiriam Liss, Kate Richmond, Mindy J. Erchull ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; First Edition (June 10, 2019)978-0393667134  Hard Copy  
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Intact: A Defence of the Unmodified BodyClare ChambersPenguin0141992506  
The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in LifeSheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski Penguin9780141981628  
Femininity and Domination: Studies in the Phenomenology of OppressionSandra Lee BartkyRoutledge0415901863  
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Midterm examStudents will write an essay summarizing one of the theoretical approaches discussed and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses in relation to specific research question.35
Final research proposal Students will write a research proposal on a topic related to the course, and formally present it during finals week. Prior to this, they will present the proposal idea to the class for discussion and feedback. 45
Final Project and presentation 20

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

Attendance is not mandatory, but it is STRONGLY recommended. Some material - such as in-depth description of studies, examples, exercises, etc. – will only be presented in class. It is your responsibility to arrive in class ON TIME. Please try not to arrive late and/or leave early. Should you arrive late, or need to leave early, please sit in the back of the class, to avoid disrupting class. Individual students who have to miss class should notify the professor in advance to make arrangements.

Laptops and Other Devices. The use of laptop or tablet computer in class is only allowed to take notes. If you are found to use it for other purposes, you will lose this privilege. The use of smartphone in class in not allowed. Likewise, you may not use a music player or headphones, unless they are attached to a hearing-assistive device approved by the professor (i.e., me). If you are given such an exception, it will be immediately and permanently revoked if you abuse the technology for off-topic purposes. For certain activities in-class, the instructor may request you to bring a laptop or to take it out and use it for that specific purpose.

Examination policy

A major exam (midterm or final) cannot be made up without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES

John Cabot University does not discriminate based on disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE
 
       

PART I: Nature of the phenomenon of objectification

Week

Topic

Reading

WEEK 1

Introduction to gender schema, norms and gendered behaviour.

Martin, A. E., & Slepian, M. L. (2021). The primacy of gender: Gendered cognition underlies the big two dimensions of social cognition.Perspectives on Psychological Science,16(6), 1143-1158.

 

Martin, A. E., & Mason, M. F. (2022). What does it mean to be (seen as) human? The importance of gender in humanization.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

 

Mikorski, R., & Szymanski, D. M. (2017). Masculine norms, peer group, pornography, Facebook, and men’s sexual objectification of women.Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 18(4), 257–267.https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000058

 

WEEK 2

Objectification theory

& Self-objectification

Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. A. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women's lived experiences and mental health risks.Psychology of women quarterly,21(2), 173-206.

 

Roberts, T-A, Calogero, R. M., & Gervais, S. J. (2018). Objectification theory: Continuing contributions to feminist psychology. In C. B. Travis, J. W. White, A. Rutherford, W. S. Williams, S. L. Cook, & K. F. Wyche (Eds.), APA handbooks in psychology®. APA handbook of the psychology of women: History, theory, and battlegrounds (p. 249–271).

 

Ward, L.M., Daniels, E.A., Zurbriggen, E.L.et al.The sources and consequences of sexual objectification.Nat Rev Psychol2, 496–513 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-023-00192-x

 

Further readings:

Du, X., Li, Q., Xiang, G., Xiao, M., Liu, X., Chen, X., ... & Chen, H. (2022). The relationship between brain neural correlates, self-objectification, and interoceptive sensibility.Behavioural Brain Research, 114227.

 

Felig, R. N., Jordan, J. A., Shepard, S. L., Courtney, E. P., Goldenberg, J. L., & Roberts, T. A. (2022). When looking ‘hot’ means not feeling cold: Evidence that self‐objectification inhibits feelings of being cold.British Journal of Social Psychology,61(2), 455-470.

 

WEEK 3

Cultural foundations of objectification/self-objectification

 

Steve Loughnan, Silvia Fernandez, Jeroen Vaes, Gulnaz Anjum, Mudassar Aziz, Chika Harada, Elise Holland, Indramani Singh, Elisa Puvia, & Koji Tsuchiya (2015). Exploring the role of culture in sexual objectification: A seven nations study of sexual objectification. International Review of Social Psychology, 28(1), 63-93, 125-152.

 

Thompson, J. K., Van Den Berg, P., Roehrig, M., Guarda, A. S., & Heinberg, L. J. (2004). The sociocultural attitudes towards appearance scale‐3 (SATAQ‐3): Development and validation.International journal of eating disorders,35(3), 293-304.

 

Further readings:

Frederick, D. A., Crerand, C. E., Brown, T. A., Perez, M., Best, C. R., Cook-Cottone, C. P., ... & Murray, S. B. (2022). Demographic predictors of body image satisfaction: The US Body Project I. Body Image, 41, 17-31.

 

WEEK 4

The impact of individual differences on objectification

 

Strelan P, Hargreaves D: Women who objectify other women: the vicious circle of objectification? Sex Roles 2005, 52 https://doi. org/10.1007/s11199-005-3737-3

 

Puvia, E., & Vaes, J. (2013). Being a body: Women’s appearance related self-views and their dehumanization of sexually objectified female targets. Sex Roles, 68, 484-495, doi: 10.1007/s11199-012-0255-y

 

Liss, M., Erchull, M. J., & Ramsey, L. R. (2011). Empowering or oppressing? Development and exploration of the Enjoyment of Sexualization Scale.Personality and social psychology bulletin,37(1), 55-68.

 

Bareket O, Shnabel N: Domination and objectification: men’s motivation for dominance over women affects their tendency

to sexually objectify women. Psychol Women Q 2020, 44:28-49, https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684319871913.

 

WEEK 5

(Self) Objectification of men

Aubrey, J. S., & Taylor, L. D. (2009). The role of lad magazines in priming men’s chronic and temporary appearance-related schemata: An investigation of longitudinal and experimental findings.Human Communication Research,35(1), 28-58.

 

Kozak, M., Frankenhauser, H., & Roberts, T. (2009). Objects of desire: Objectification as a function of male sexual orientation. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 10, 225–230. doi:10.1037/a0016257

Daniel, S., Bridges, S. K., & Martens, M. P. (2014). The development and validation of the Male Assessment of Self-Objectification (MASO).Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 15(1), 78–89.https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031518

 

WEEK 6

Objectification of marginalized groups (e.g., people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and non-binary individuals)

 

Moradi B, Tebbe E: A test of Objectification Theory with sexual minority women. Psychol Women Q 2022, 46:226-240, https://doi. org/10.1177/03616843211052525

 

Further readings:

Heimerdinger-Edwards, S. R., Vogel, D. L., & Hammer, J. H. (2011). Extending sexual objectification theory and research to minority populations, couples, and men.The Counseling Psychologist,39(1), 140-152.

 

Anzani A, Lindley L, Tognasso G, Galupo MP, Prunas A: “Being talked to like I was a sex toy, like being transgender was simply for the enjoyment of someone else”: fetishization and sexualization of transgender and nonbinary individuals. Arch Sex Behav 2021, 50:897-911, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021- 01935-8

 

WEEK 7

Terror Management Theory (TMT)

Goldenberg, J. L., & Roberts, T. A. (2004). The beast within the beauty.Handbook of Experimental Existential Psychology, 71-75.

 

Grabe, S., Routledge, C., Cook, A., Andersen, C., & Arndt, J. (2005). In defense of the body: The effect of mortality salience on female body objectification.Psychology of Women Quarterly,29(1), 33-37.

 

Morris, K. L., & Goldenberg, J. (2015). Objects become her: The role of mortality salience on men's attraction to literally objectified women.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology,56, 69-72.

 

Further readings:

Pyszczynski, T., Solomon, S., & Greenberg, J. (2015). Thirty years of terror management theory: From genesis to revelation. InAdvances in experimental social psychology(Vol. 52, pp. 1-70). Academic Press.

WEEK 8

Midterm exam

 

 

PART II: Psychological, Social and Cultural consequences of objectification

WEEK 9

(self-)Dehumanization:

Investigating humanness

Haslam, N., Loughnan, S., Reynolds, C., & Wilson, S. (2007). Dehumanization: A new perspective. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 409-422.

 

Loughnan S, Baldissarri C, Spaccatini F, Elder L: Internalizing objectification: objectified individuals see themselves as less warm, competent, moral, and human. Br J Soc Psychol 2017, 56:217-232, https://doi.org/10.1111/BJSO.12188

 

Vaes, J., Paladino, M.P., & Puvia, E. (2011). Are sexualized female targets human beings? Why males and females dehumanize sexually objectified women. European Journal of Social Psychology, 41, 774-785. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.824

 

Heflick, N.A., Goldenberg, J.L., Cooper, D.P., & Puvia, E. (2011). From women to objects: Appearance focus, target gender, and perceptions of warmth, morality and competence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 572-581. doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2010.12.020.

 

WEEK 10

Objectification and media

 

 Guizzo, F., Canale, N., & Fasoli, F. (2021). Instagram Sexualization: When posts make you feel dissatisfied and wanting to change your body. Body image, 39, 62-67.

 

Chen, S., van Tilburg, W. A., & Leman, P. J. (2022). Self‐objectification in women predicts approval motivation in online self‐presentation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(1), 366-388.

 

Veldhuis, J., Alleva, J. M., Bij de Vaate, A. J., Keijer, M., & Konijn, E. A. (2020). Me, my selfie, and I: The relations between selfie behaviors, body image, self-objectification, and self-esteem in young women. Psychology of Popular Media, 9(1), 3.


https://www.lorellazanardo.it/il-corpo-delle-donne/

 

WEEK 11

Objectification and health

 

Moradi, B., & Huang, Y. P. (2008). Objectification theory and psychology of women: A decade of advances and future directions.Psychology of women quarterly,32(4), 377-398.

 

Veldhuis, J., Alleva, J. M., Bij de Vaate, A. J., Keijer, M., & Konijn, E. A. (2020). Me, my selfie, and I: The relations between selfie behaviors, body image, self-objectification, and self-esteem in young women.Psychology of Popular Media,9(1), 3.

WEEK 12

Preliminary research proposal idea discussion

 

 

WEEK 13

Objectification and intimate relationships

 

Riemer, A. R., Sáez, G., Brock, R., & Gervais, S. J. (2021). Self-fulfilling objectification in relationships: The effects of men’s objectifying expectations on women’s self-objectification during conflict in romantic relationships. Self and Identity, 20(7), 854-860.

 

WEEK 14

Objectification and Crime

 

Jones, A. C., Repke, A., Batastini, A. B., Sacco, D., Dahlen, E. R., & Mohn, R. S. (2023). The power of presentation: How attire, cosmetics, and posture impact the source credibility of women expert witnesses.Journal of Forensic Sciences. DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15253

 

Gamarel KE, Jadwin-Cakmak L, King WM, Lacombe-Duncan A, Trammell R, Reyes LA, Harper GW (2022). Stigma experienced by transgender women of color in their dating and romantic relationships: implications for gender-based violence prevention programs. J Interpers Violence.37:NP8161-NP8189, https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520976186

 

Donnelly, LC,Calogero, RM.The role of stranger harassment experiences in college women's perceived possibility of gender crimes happening to them.J Appl Soc Psychol.2018;48:165–173.https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12497

 

Loughnan, S., Pina, A., Vasquez, E., & Puvia, E. (2013). Sexual objectification increases rape victim blame and decreases perceived suffering. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 37, 455-461, doi: 10.1177/0361684313485718

FINALS WEEK

Research project presentations