Men see bikini-clad women as objects, psychologists say

[ThomCat]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/19/women.bikinis.objects/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- It may seem obvious that men perceive women in sexy bathing suits as objects, but now there's science to back it up.
Images of women in bikinis prompted brain responses in men associated with using tools.

Images of women in bikinis prompted brain responses in men associated with using tools.

New research shows that, in men, the brain areas associated with handling tools and the intention to perform actions light up when viewing images of women in bikinis.

The research was presented this week by Susan Fiske, professor of psychology at Princeton University, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"This is just the first study which was focused on the idea that men of a certain age view sex as a highly desirable goal, and if you present them with a provocative woman, then that will tend to prime goal-related responses," she told CNN.

....

I'm almost jumping up and down thinking this is huge. It's totally undermines the overly-rational view most men have of the way we think our minds work.

So when viewing women in bikinis the portion of the brain that controls tools and manipulating objects to achieve goals lights up. Not the portions of the brain that deal with recognizing or communicating with people. That says a whole lot, and validates a central idea of feminism, that men objectify women.

I'll have to link to this article the next time someone claims that the idea of men objectifying women is some ludicrous delusion invented by "man-hating lesbians."

I hope more studies come out to back this up, and refine this study a bit. To what extent is it women in any provocative clothing or situation that men view as objects? To what extent do culture and/or familiarity affect this?

I'm wondering, as a gay man, is the effect the same or similar when we view men in a bathing suit? What is the effect in Lesbians.

I wonder if or when a similar study will be done to see what part (or parts) of the brain lights up in women when viewing similarly nearly naked men. It would be very interesting to see the similarities and difference in how minds work by gender.

[Bunny]

1. Thanks for that report, Thom. In other new, scientists are now reporting that water is, in fact,

wet. Now over to Storm Fields for the weather...


Sorry, Thom - just teasing a bit :D. It seems like such an obvious conclusion but, like you, I'm glad it's finally been scientifically proven.

It's good to see you posting, Thom. I hope you're feeling better. :hug:

[ThomCat]

2. This was posted in GD too

But it was moved to the lounge.

Why it was moved to the lounge, :shrug: your guess is as good as mine.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Considering it's a "scientific study" I also find it odd.

Maybe the decision was based in the "bikini" aspect--and the inevitable conversation that might occur (based on subject matter)?
:shrug:

Not saying that I agree that the conversation would go there. Just that maybe it was presumed it would.

[bliss_eternal]

3. These "studies" work both ways, though.

While it may substantiate claims made for decades by feminists, it simultaneously (in my opinion)dismisses male accountability for personal actions. Making a scientific claim for objectivity seems to suggest that men should not be blamed nor expected to behave any better because....gee--the poor lads just can't help themselves.

Gotta be honest, that pisses me off.
:grr::mad:

[ThomCat]

6. I don't see them getting away with that.

I really think that any follow up study pretty much HAS to find that the degree of reaction in that "tool" part of the brain varies by culture, and is therefore trainable.

That kills the "can't help ourselves" argument. It just reinforces the idea that men need to be trained so that they don't grow up to be objectifying assholes.

I think it's be a winning situation down the road. :)

[bliss_eternal]

7. I appreciate your positive outlook...

...and sincerely hope you're right, ThomCat. It seems the more feminist reading I do, the more jaded I become. ;) So I hope you can forgive my expression of cynicism.

I don't think I said so before, thanks for bringing this here. I wouldn't have caught it, as I don't visit the lounge.

[ismnotwasm]

5. I always tip toe a bit around the lighted brain deals.

Remember, religious experience also has a definite area that "lights up"

(And completely off topic, I think it's pretty sad and sorry that the fundie-types who have God in Box or book rather-- view of religion precludes some of the recent fun and games with physics and scientific discovery. One could really make an interesting argument for a fine tuner. But then one would have to "believe" in evolution)

Still, this is not surprising. What happens with this stuff though, is your basic evolutionary psychologist will point out something like this and say "Men are HARDwired (pun intended)to view women as an means to an end, to Carry On their Genetic Material (thunder and the voice of the patriarchal God) Even so, I'll bet you a dollar the same area Does light up with provocatively dressed women.

Sorry Thomcat, Gay men and Lesbians aren't nearly so sexy to evo-psychologists. See, they don't. Quite. Fit. Even though I think having open Gays is a sign of dynamic social evolution and sexual health, what Gays actually want is left to smaller, less publicized, if not less well funded,studies.

I don't think these type of studies are quite as interested in what lights a woman's brain, or if they are, they'll look for evidence that woman want some mature father figure type, "Stability, a good provider" to fit in with the same tired old evolutionary theory.

I figure, our brains are plastic enough that culture has has an enormous amount to do with how we perceive the world and each other. In other words, would that area light up in the brain of men that were raised in a matrilineal matrix society? Or a sexually egalitarian one? With a total absence of Rape culture? Doubt it.

To use another religious topic as a kind of lame example, there are places in India, where it's nearly commonplace to "remember" your past life. It's an accepted and expected part of culture. In the US, we go to professionals and pay big bucks to make it happen.