Macalester College DigitalCommons@Macalester College Psychology Honors Projects Psychology Department Spring 5-1-2013 The ffecE ts of Objectifying Hip-Hop Lyrics on Female Listeners Ellen S. Nikodym
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/psychology_honors Part of the Social Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Nikodym, Ellen S., "The Effects of Objectifying Hip-Hop Lyrics on Female Listeners" (2013). Psychology Honors Projects. Paper 31. http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/psychology_honors/31 This Honors Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Psychology Department at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Psychology Honors Projects by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Running head: EFFECTS OF OBJECTIFYING HIP HOP 1 The Effects of Objectifying Hip Hop Lyrics on Female Listeners Ellen Nikodym Macalester College EFFECTS OF OBJECTIFYING HIP HOP 2 Abstract Research has demonstrated support for objectification theory and has established that music affects listeners’ thoughts and behaviors, however, no research to date joins these two fields. The present study considers potential effects of objectifying hip hop songs on female listeners. Among African American participants, exposure to an objectifying song resulted in increased self-objectification. However, among White participants, exposure to an objectifying song produced no measurable difference in self-objectification. This finding along with interview data suggests that white women distance themselves from objectifying hip hop songs, preventing negative effects of such music. EFFECTS OF OBJECTIFYING HIP HOP 3 The Effects of Objectifying Hip-Hop Lyrics on Female Listeners Music is an important part of adolescents’ and young adults’ lives.