۱- Introduction

۲- Experiment 1

۳- Experiment 2

۴- Experiment 3

۵- Experiment 4

۶- Experiment 5

۷- Experiment 6

۸- General discussion

۹- Conclusion

References

Abstract

Do people become more aggressive when they are manipulated as a tool or object that can help others achieve performance goals? Adopting a multi-method approach with Eastern and Western samples, through six experiments (overall valid N = 1070), we tested whether objectification (i.e., being treated as an instrument that aids others in achieving instrumental performance goals) promotes aggression through thwarted perceived control. The results showed that objectified participants had higher levels of aggression than nonobjectified participants (Experiments 1 to 6). Moreover, thwarted perceived control mediated the effect of objectification on aggression (Experiments 3 and 4). In addition, restoring objectified people’s perceived control could effectively weaken their aggression level (Experiments 5 and 6). Taken together, these findings highlight the critical influence of perceived control in explaining when and why objectification promotes aggression and how to weaken such an effect. They also highlight the role of perceived control in understanding the consequences of various forms of interpersonal maltreatment in different performance or instrumental settings.

Introduction

Objectification refers to being treated as an object that can be instrumentally manipulated to achieve instrumental goals (Gruenfeld, Inesi, Magee, & Galinsky, 2008; Volpato, Andrighetto, & Baldissarri, 2017). Previous objectification research has mainly examined how sexual objectification affects women (e.g., Breines, Crocker, & Garcia, 2008; Noll & Fredrickson, 1998). Little research effort has been devoted to examining the effects of nonsexual objectification in performancerelated settings on people’s psychosocial functioning. Because people can experience nonsexual objectification in different interpersonal settings in daily life, it is important to examine its psychological and behavioral impacts. To fill this knowledge gap, in the current research, we examined the effect of nonsexual objectification on aggression and the underlying psychological process. Humans have an innate need to master their destiny and actualize their potential (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2000). Objectification unjustifiably deprives people of such a fundamental need because objectified people are treated as mere tools that aid others to achieve performance goals, and their needs and opportunities are exploited (Gruenfeld et al., 2008; Volpato et al., 2017). As a result, objectified people’s perceived control may be thwarted. Based on the basic motivation processes (Shah & Gardner, 2007), people should be motivated to behave in ways that can restore their perceived control following objectification. Because aggression can be used as a means to restore control through symbolically asserting superiority and control over others (Baumeister, Smart, & Boden, 1996; Tedeschi & Felson, 1994), we proposed that objectified people may tend to behave aggressively (Experiments 1 to 6), and perceived control may mediate the effect of objectification on aggression (Experiments 3 and 4). Furthermore, we proposed that restoring objectified people’s perceived control can weaken their aggression (Experiments 5 and 6).