Baumeister & Tice Chapter 3 Self-Esteem & Sex

Self-Esteem u One’s feeling of high or low self worth u High SE associated (r) with more sex –Why? –SE -> sex? –Sex -> SE? –3rd V?

Sociometer u We all need to belong u Social support: Perception that others are available to offer help (church attendance) –SS reduces morbidity & mortality rates –Risk level same as smoking, exercising

Social Support

Sociometer u SE is a meter that tracks social success (SS) u Social success (popularity) causal (3rd) V Social success (popularity) SE Dating (SEX)

Anxiety, Inhibition u Women - high SE associated w/ fellatio & masturbation –High SE associated w/ less inhibitions, anxiety Anxiety SE Sex

Conquest Mentality u Sex may increase SE (~social desirability) u Gender difference & social exchange –Women give sex to men –Ego loss for women gain for men u Men compete for # of ‘Conquests’(Spur Posse) –Paul Reiser on SNL –Reservoir Dogs

Conquest Mentality u SE +r w/ # partners for men, -r for women –The more partners they have: Men feel better & women feel worse –Stud v. Slut u Class Data (N = 103, females = 74 ) –r between self-esteem, # partners Males r =.16, ns Females r =.07, ns

Conquest Mentality u Some studies show no r for females –Quality of partner more closely linked to SE –Females SE increases by having sex w/ high quality (and not just many) partners

Conquest Mentality u What causes this mentality? u Evolution –Genetic success ~# partners for males –Genetic success ~partner quality for females u Social Exchange –Female maximize sex value by giving it rarely to high quality partners –Males obtain as much resource as possible

Sex Appeal u SE associated with self-perceived sex appeal (but not actual attractiveness) u 03 Class Data –r between self-esteem, perceived attractiveness Males r =.53, p <.01 Females r =.40, p <.001

Sex Appeal u Men ~> women on SE –Body image (women less positive) –Women highly critical of bodies

American Thinness Craze u Changing standards –Models –Playboy –Miss America –Pornography w/ plump models popular elsewhere

American Thinness Craze: Causes u Men –Not totally Women want to be thinner than men want them

Fallon & Rozin (1985) Thinnest Women’s ideal What women believed men preferred What men actually preferred Women’s current body image Heaviest

American Thinness Craze: Causes u Media –Feeds public interest –Less Power to change us

American Thinness Craze: Causes u Females competing for mates –Males - status –Females - physical attraction Plastic surgery (expensive, dangerous) Weight (easy to control)

Self-Awareness & Sex u Inner spectator (SA) –Standards of good, bad –Critical, judgmental u Aids in self-regulation –Compare current with goal standard –Discrepancies motivate change (use condom) u High SA can hinder sexual performance –Controlled, conscious v. automatic

Alcohol & Sex u Decreases self-awareness, inhibitions –Do what you REALLY want to do u Seduction relies on reducing SA –Standards, inhibitions less salient –Impairs self-regulation (forget high-level goals) u Associated w/ infidelity (used more) & rape –Majority date rape alcohol implicated –Mostly man (reduces inhibitions, SA)

Conclusion u How we see ourselves has impact on and is impacted by our sexuality u Nature of impact depends on gender, social and other factors