I love boobies : the influence of sexualized breast cancer campaigns on objectification and women's health

Abstract

More and more breast cancer campaigns are turning to sexualized images and slogans to gain attention and raise money. However, from the perspective of objectification theory, these campaigns can be detrimental to women's psychological and physical health to the extent that they raise concerns about the body. The purpose of the present research was to examine the effects such sexy breast cancer slogans have on feelings of objectification, body attitudes, and donation intentions. Study 1 found that women reported a heightened accessibility of body-related thoughts in the presence of someone wearing an "I Love Boobies" t-shirt compared to a neutral one. Study 2 found that women reported increased discomfort with conducting breast self-examinations following a sexualized breast cancer prime. Finally, contrary to expectations, Study 3 showed that viewing a sexy breast cancer advertisement did not impact donation intentions. The implications of this research are further discussed.