Men estimate higher rates of sexual objectification than women report

A recent study published in Sex Roles reveals a difference in how men and women perceive the frequency of sexual objectification experienced by young women. Contrary to the assumption that men underestimates women's harassment, men often estimate the frequency to be higher than what women themselves report. Sexual objectification is characterized by treating an individual primarily as a body rather than a whole human, and these experiences can lead to negative psychological outcomes.

Researchers Olivia A. Foster-Gimbel and Renee Engeln conducted three studies to explore the discrepancy in perceptions. In the first study, they found that men estimated that women experienced sexual objectification more frequently than what women reported. The behaviors assessed were grouped into overt actions such as catcalling or unwanted touching, and covert actions like staring or evaluating a woman's physical appearance.

Men consistently underestimated the actual frequency reported by women, both in overt and covert categories.

A second study with 199 university students aimed to test if men and women were interpreting verbal rating scales differently. Participants rated the frequency of experiences on a scale and also provided a numerical estimate. Both men and women used similar terms like "frequently," and both groups agreed on the emotional impact of these experiences on women. However, when estimating the frequency of specific events, men consistently estimated higher numbers than women.

The third study, with 165 university students, directly compared the estimated frequencies of men and women for the "average woman." For overt behaviors like catcalling, both men and women estimated the same frequency, about 30 times a year. For covert behaviors like leering, men estimated a much higher frequency, around 365 times a year, compared to women's estimate of 267 times.

The differences in estimates were explained by participants suggesting that men are more aware of their own or other men's behavior, women might not always notice covert actions, or men might guess higher numbers to avoid appearing insensitive.

Limitations include the study only including participants who identify as either men or women. Despite these limitations, the findings challenge the assumption that men underestimate women's experiences of sexual objectification and provide insights into the differing perceptions of these behaviors.