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Self-objectification is a psychological process in which a person views themselves as a physical object first and a human being second. As a result, the person can be hypercritical of their body and parts of their body.

Self-objectification can create issues for a person’s mental and emotional well-being. Some examples include constantly being obsessed with what others think of them even when they are not around and worrying so much about what their body looks like that it negatively disrupts their daily life.

This article discusses the history of self-objectification and its signs. It also discusses the effect of self-objectification on people and tips for minimizing self-objectifying behaviors.

The concept of self-objectification stems from the objectification theory, a framework that aims to understand the effect of culturalsexual objectificationon women’s experiences.

It explains that women are conditioned to view their bodies as to how others view them because of their exposure to social and environmental sexual objectification that exists within our culture. The theory states that girls and women experience three types of sexual objectification exposures:

As a result, women view their bodies as objects, tie their self-worth to their physical appearance, develop expectations forhow their bodies should lookbased on how others perceive them, and become overly judgmental of their bodies.

Understanding the Male Gaze and How It Objectifies Women

Signs of Self-Objectification

There are a few situations when it can be helpful to view yourself as a third person such as wanting to make a good impression in an interview, looking presentable at a wedding, or showcasing your best physical features on a first date. In these circumstances, self-objectifying behaviors are performed in moderation and are normal and healthy.

However, when self-objectifying behaviors become excessive, they can become detrimental and negatively affect other areas of your life.Some signs where self-objectification has become unhealthy include:

In the age of social media, it can be difficult to avoid being exposed to societal expectations of beauty. From influencers, and beauty ads to celebrities, you are subject to thousands of edited andfiltered imagesof faces and bodies every day. If you primarily follow accounts that post these types of images, look excessively at them, scrutinize yourself, and feel inadequate, this is an unhealthy sign of self-objectification.

Impact of Self-Objectification

Although self-objectification is seen amongst all genders, it is more prevalent amongst women.Two sources of self-objectification that women are subject to include direct personal experiences that occur during their daily lives and the beauty standards portrayed through the media.

Self-objectification causes women to struggle to accept their bodies as is and to constantly obsess over their physical appearance. It has been shown to be associated with increased feelings of shame, increased feelings of anxiety, decreased peak motivational state, decreased awareness of internal bodily states, sexual dysfunction, disordered eating, and depression.

Tips to Minimize Self-Objectification

It can be difficult to feel good about your body when you’re constantly criticizing it. You are not an object. You are more than a beautiful face or a fit body. You are a human being with a unique personality, experiences, hopes, and dreams. Here are some ways to help minimize self-objectifying behaviors:

A Word From Verywell

As you work to undo the effects of self-objectification, it can be challenging considering the years that you have been internalizing these messages, so be kind to yourself and be patient that it may take time and work to minimize self-objectification. If you are struggling with this, or it is impacting your daily functioning,seek professional assistance.

How to Practice Body Neutrality

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arroyo A, Segrin C, Harwood J.Appearance-related communication mediates the link between self-objectification and health and well-being outcomes.Hum Commun Res. 2014;40(4):463-482.Oehlhof MEW, Musher-Eizenman DR, Neufeld JM, Hauser JC.Self-objectification and ideal body shape for men and women.Body Image. 2009;6(4):308-310.Fredrickson BL, Roberts TA.Objectification theory: toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks.Psychology of Women Quarterly.1997;21(2):173-206. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.xCalogero RM, Davis WN, Thompson JK.The role of self-objectification in the experience of women with eating disorders.Sex Roles. 2005;52(1):43-50.Moradi B, Huang YP.Objectification theory and psychology of women: a decade of advances and future directions.Psychology of Women Quarterly. 2008;32(4):377-398.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arroyo A, Segrin C, Harwood J.Appearance-related communication mediates the link between self-objectification and health and well-being outcomes.Hum Commun Res. 2014;40(4):463-482.Oehlhof MEW, Musher-Eizenman DR, Neufeld JM, Hauser JC.Self-objectification and ideal body shape for men and women.Body Image. 2009;6(4):308-310.Fredrickson BL, Roberts TA.Objectification theory: toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks.Psychology of Women Quarterly.1997;21(2):173-206. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.xCalogero RM, Davis WN, Thompson JK.The role of self-objectification in the experience of women with eating disorders.Sex Roles. 2005;52(1):43-50.Moradi B, Huang YP.Objectification theory and psychology of women: a decade of advances and future directions.Psychology of Women Quarterly. 2008;32(4):377-398.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Arroyo A, Segrin C, Harwood J.Appearance-related communication mediates the link between self-objectification and health and well-being outcomes.Hum Commun Res. 2014;40(4):463-482.Oehlhof MEW, Musher-Eizenman DR, Neufeld JM, Hauser JC.Self-objectification and ideal body shape for men and women.Body Image. 2009;6(4):308-310.Fredrickson BL, Roberts TA.Objectification theory: toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks.Psychology of Women Quarterly.1997;21(2):173-206. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.xCalogero RM, Davis WN, Thompson JK.The role of self-objectification in the experience of women with eating disorders.Sex Roles. 2005;52(1):43-50.Moradi B, Huang YP.Objectification theory and psychology of women: a decade of advances and future directions.Psychology of Women Quarterly. 2008;32(4):377-398.

Arroyo A, Segrin C, Harwood J.Appearance-related communication mediates the link between self-objectification and health and well-being outcomes.Hum Commun Res. 2014;40(4):463-482.

Oehlhof MEW, Musher-Eizenman DR, Neufeld JM, Hauser JC.Self-objectification and ideal body shape for men and women.Body Image. 2009;6(4):308-310.

Fredrickson BL, Roberts TA.Objectification theory: toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks.Psychology of Women Quarterly.1997;21(2):173-206. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x

Calogero RM, Davis WN, Thompson JK.The role of self-objectification in the experience of women with eating disorders.Sex Roles. 2005;52(1):43-50.

Moradi B, Huang YP.Objectification theory and psychology of women: a decade of advances and future directions.Psychology of Women Quarterly. 2008;32(4):377-398.

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