Unveiling Objectification in the Social Media Era: Exploring Gender Differences and User's Activity in Social Media Comment Sections

The phenomenon of objectification has been widely discussed since its definition more than 30 years ago, and Western scholars are actively studying its impact on self-perception, and mental health aspects. Based on the theory of objectification, most research focuses on the consequences of objectification rather than its causes, and there is a lack of similar research in China.

This study measures objectification behaviour in a broader sense in light of today's social and media environment to encompass a broader scope beyond the focus on sexual objectification, aiming to use objectification and gender and communication theory to explore the impact of Chinese social media users' media usage on perceptions of objectification and being objectified.

An online survey was conducted using a questionnaire consisting of 64 questions. The study found that there are significant differences between genders in the perception of being objectified by the other gender and objectifying the same gender online. Also, people with a higher frequency of social media comments browsing perceive less of objectifying the same gender online. Those with a higher frequency of social media commenting have higher levels of perception of objectifying the same gender and being objectified by the other gender online.

The findings indicate that active use of social media, specifically interactive use, significantly impacts perceived objectification and being objectified. This article updates the theory of objectification in the context of social media, provides new perspectives for future research and a basis for the development of relevant interventions.