Being objectified worsens women’s maths performance

Women who are looked at as sexual objects not only react as sexual objects, they also exhibit less proficiency with math, according to a new study published in the March 2011 issue of the journal Psychology of Women Quarterly.

For more, go here.

I’m curious whether this is separate from stereotype threat, or a manifestation of it. (I’m thinking it could be that being objectified calls attention to women’s gender. It’s known that being reminded of gender decreased women’s maths performance due to stereotype threat.) Haven’t had a chance to go read the full study yet!

3 thoughts on “Being objectified worsens women’s maths performance

  1. “The objectifying gaze also increased women’s, but not men’s, motivation to have further interactions with their partner. ” With the objectifying professor or with some other partner?

    I tried looking at the whole paper but my university only has electronic access to all but the current year. If you’ve got a copy, could you send it my way?

  2. As a filipino woman, I don’t think this research is reliable. The majority of filipino women in my country don’t even look like the “average”

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