University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 8-2010 Experiencing Sexually Objectifying Environments: A Case Study Lauren Bell Moffitt University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Recommended Citation Moffitt, Lauren Bell, "Experiencing Sexually Objectifying Environments: A Case Study. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2010. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/828 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Lauren Bell Moffitt entitled "Experiencing Sexually Objectifying Environments: A Case Study." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Psychology. Dawn M. Szymanski, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Victor Barr, Gina Owens, Trena Paulus Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Lauren Bell Moffitt entitled “Experiencing Sexually Objectifying Environments: A Case Study.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Psychology. Dawn M. Szymanski , Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Victor Barr Gina Owens Trena Paulus Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) Experiencing Sexually Objectifying Environments: A Case Study A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Lauren Bell Moffitt August 2010 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the amazing women in my family. My mother, Kathy Moffitt, who is selfless and strong, and has offered me unconditional love and support. My grandmother, Francis Jennings, who is wise, loving, and open minded My sisters, Kelly Moffitt Adkisson and Leigh Moffitt, who have shared laugher, tears, and loving honesty. These women have had a profound impact on the path I’ve taken in life. They are each beautiful and intelligent in unique ways. I would also like to dedicate this dissertation to the courageous women in my therapy office who have generously trusted me, taught me, and allowed me to be a part of their stories. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Dawn Szymanski, my advisor throughout this journey, who has been endlessly encouraging and supportive. Dawn has opened my eyes to the fact that I can be inspired by research and may even have some degree of talent for it. Incredibly, she has made this process enjoyable. I would also like to thank my family, friends, co-workers, and the ladies in my small group for their prayers, patience, and absolute support. iii ABSTRACT Research examining tenets of Objectification Theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) has given little attention to increasing our understanding of specific environments and subcultures, such as beauty pageants, cheerleading, and cocktail waitressing that exist within our culture where sexual objectification of women is encouraged, promoted, and socially sanctioned. This qualitative case study of women’s experiences in a sexually objectifying environment includes interviews with 11 women as well as observational data. Data classification via the constant comparative method resulted in nine themes: reasons for involvement, ambivalence, counterfeit intimacy, sexual objectification, resistance strategies, power, negative relationships with women, changes over time, and judgment. Corresponding subthemes are also described and interpretation is provided in light of relevant literature. Women’s experiences in a sexually objectifying environment are further discussed in terms of the need for resources and power and the resulting conflicts that women experience in terms of relational dynamics and personal safety. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 Criteria of a Sexually Objectifying Environment ....................................................................... 3 Hooters Chain of Restaurants as an Example of a Sexually Objectifying Environment .......... 11 Present Study ............................................................................................................................ 14 CHAPTER II – METHOD.............................................................................................................16 Feminist Paradigm .................................................................................................................... 16 Qualitative Case Study .............................................................................................................. 17 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 18 Procedure .................................................................................................................................. 19 Analytic method ........................................................................................................................ 20 Standards of Quality ................................................................................................................. 21 Reflexivity Statement................................................................................................................ 23 CHAPTER III - RESULTS ............................................................................................................25 Context of the Study ................................................................................................................. 28 Themes and Interpretation ........................................................................................................ 28 Reasons for involvement...................................................................................................... 28 Ambivalence ........................................................................................................................ 31 Counterfeit Intimacy ............................................................................................................ 34 Sexual Objectification .......................................................................................................... 38 Resistance Strategies ............................................................................................................ 44 Power ................................................................................................................................... 48 Negative Relationships with Women................................................................................... 51 Changes over Time .............................................................................................................. 54 Judgment .............................................................................................................................. 60 CHAPTER IV - DISCUSSION .....................................................................................................62 Limitations and future research ................................................................................................ 64 Clinical Implications ................................................................................................................. 66 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................68 APPENDIX ....................................................................................................................................81 VITA ..............................................................................................................................................84 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page TABLE A- 1 Themes, number of cases, and classification of women’s experiences in a sexually objectifying environment ....................................................................................................... 83 vi CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION Objectification Theory (Frederickson & Roberts, 1997), a relatively new development in the rapidly expanding field of feminist psychology, proposes a framework for understanding the consequences of living in a culture that sexually objectifies women. The theory posits that in Western cultures objectification occurs when girls and women are visually sized up and appraised based on sexual attributes and physical attractiveness. Concurrently, this constant emphasis on appearance serves to separate the body from the individual as a person, allowing for the body to be treated