A study from Edith Cowan University has found that ogling the opposite sex could cause negative attitudes. These findings challenge the notion that it is okay to look as long as you don’t act inappropriately towards the person. The team also found that people who ogle were more likely to view sexual assault negatively.
The team looked at women and men during the study. They found that more men would observe the woman’s body rather than her face. Moreover, men who ogled often thought women tolerated or welcomed aggressive sexual behaviour.
According to Dr Ross Hollett, a senior study author and psychology researcher, ogling someone’s body instead of looking at the face is an indication that you value their bodies rather than their personalities or minds. It is also a form of objectification. Dr Hollett adds that objectifying someone could cause harmful behaviours and attitudes.
How researchers conducted the study
The researchers gathered 167 heterosexual men and women. They showed the volunteers pictures of the opposite sex where they were fully or partially clothes. Afterwards, the researchers asked 1000 volunteers about their tendencies to ogle people’s bodies. This group was also made of heterosexual participants.
The team used eye-tracking and found that the male participants were more likely to look at women’s bodies, whether fully or partially clothed. Women, on the other hand, didn’t seem to observe the body more in the images of women and men.
Women were more likely to look at the face
The female participants seemed to observe the body and face of the male images. However, they would generally observe the face when the image shows a completely dressed man.
Dr Hollett adds that men who engaged in extreme ogling would often hold concerning beliefs on sexual assault. They were also more likely to believe that women enjoyed or tolerated that kind of behaviour and that women liked forced sex. This view was also held by women who often ogled men. These women were more likely to blame victims of sexual assault for what happened to them.
The author adds that this study helps understand how different genders think about each other. As a result, it helps researchers predict harmful social behaviours.
