Graduation Year
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Jamie L. Goldenberg, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jennifer Bosson, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Diana Rancourt, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Brent Small, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Joseph Vandello, Ph.D.
Keywords
Social psychology, Quantitative, Gender, Self
Abstract
This longitudinal research investigates the nuanced relationship between sexual harassment and self-concept development among both men and women over a six-week period, presenting a unified model that integrates theories of self-objectification and self-concept clarity. Across three waves of data collection (N= 370, N=315, N=279, respectively), I find evidence that women experience higher rates of sexual harassment, greater self-objectification, and lower self-concept clarity than men. Across time, I find that experiencing sexual harassment predicts heightened self-objectification, which further predicts a disrupted sense of self among both men and women. Critically, this work investigates the reciprocal nature of self-objectification and self-concept clarity, providing a preliminary explanation as to why women report a less well-defined self-concept than men. This work offers theoretical and applied contributions to the understanding of sexual harassment and underscores the need for interventions aimed at reducing instances of sexual harassment, given its enduring impact on an individual's sense of self.
Scholar Commons Citation
Felig, Roxanne N., "A Longitudinal Investigation of the Relationships Between Experiences with Sexual Harassment, Self-Objectification, and Self-Concept Clarity Among Women" (2024). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10185
