The Imaginary Intrasexual Competition: Advertisements Featuring Provocative Female Models Trigger Women to Engage in Indirect Aggression
Résumé
Recent research suggests that women react to
idealized female models in advertising as they would react
to real-life sexual rivals. Across four studies, we investigate
the negative consequences of this imaginary competition
on consumers’ mate-guarding jealousy, indirect
aggression, and drive for thinness. A meta-analysis of
studies 1–3 shows that women exposed to an idealized
model report more mate-guarding jealousy and show
increased indirect aggression (i.e., derogation and social
exclusion), but do not report a higher desire for thinness.
Study 4 replicates these findings and reveals that the main
driver of aggression is the sexually provocative attitude of
the model (a signal of a flirting behavior and of sexual
availability), rather than her thin body size. The ethical
implications of these findings for advertising are discussed
in light of recent concerns about female bullying, online,
and in the workplace
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