Behind the Makeup: The Effects of Cosmetics on Women’s Self-objectification, and their Objectification by Others, by PsyArXiv

Abstract

Does wearing makeup benefit women by changing how they perceive themselves, and arethe perceptions that others make of makeup wearers positive, or negative?

In two pre-registered experiments, we investigated the effects of makeup on women’s self-perceived traits,and others’ objectifying perceptions of them. In Experiment 1, 229 women imaginedone of fourscenarios (e.g., a romantic date). Halfappliedmakeup forthat scenario before rating their self-perceived agency, humanness, romantic competitiveness towardsother womenand reactions to partner jealousy.

Results showedlittle evidence that applying makeup affected women’s self-perceived traits. In Experiment 2, 844participantsrated images of women’s faces from Experiment1 on theirmental capacity and moral status. Women wearingmore makeup wereattributedless mental capacity and moral status, with attributionsmediated by perceptions that heaviermakeup-wearers have more sexand are more physically attractive. Findings suggest that although women experience cultural pressure to wearmakeup, negative stereotypes of makeup-wearersmay lead to detrimental perceptions of women.

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Published by PsyArXive Preprints