Jennifer Stevens Aubrey
Biographic Data
| ID | 154331 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jennifer Stevens Aubrey |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jennifer Stevens |
| FAMILY NAME | Aubrey |
| SIGNATURE | AUBREY J S |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Arizona |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8291-7856 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 39 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 242 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 39 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2004 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 9 |
“I made you look”… and comment
Harry Potter and the Self-Concept Clarity
The Harry Potter media franchise has recently come under fire because of author J. K. Rowling's transphobic commentary. LGBTQ+ fans have been particularly affected by Rowling's bigotry. To reconcile the dissonance surrounding a once beloved childhood text and the author's transphobic statements, LGBTQ+ fans likely engage in subversive fan behaviors (i.e. queer readings) to reclaim the wizarding world as their own. In the present study, we wanted …
Grab, #touch, #drink
The Sexual Landscape of Youth
The present study examined the role of sexting in adolescents’ peer environment and romantic relationships with attention to gender patterns. Thirty adolescent girls and boys (ages 16 or 17) of varying racial/ethnic background residing in Los Angeles or Phoenix participated in in-depth interviews about their experiences and attitudes toward sexting. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data. In total, we identified 5 main themes an…
Instagram Use and Endorsement of a Voluptuous Body Ideal
Examining Relations Between Sexualizing Media Exposure and Sexting Attitudes and Behaviors among U.S. Adolescents
The costs of sexualization
The Lessons Will Be Televised
This study examined the sexual double standard in the portrayal of sexual consequences on television. A content analysis of television programs nominated for Teen Choice Awards from 2012 to 2015 revealed that female characters received more negative sexual consequences than male characters, but there was no gender difference in who received positive sexual consequences. The gendered distribution of negative sexual consequences was qualified by ag…
Is Sexual Consent Sexy
Although depictions of sexual consent are rare in the media, such portrayals have the potential to instruct young people on the procedural details of sexual consent. Taking an entertainment-education (E-E) perspective, we examined the effects of a televised depiction of sexual consent that contained verbal sexual consent, versus a televised depiction that only included nonverbal sexual consent, versus a no-exposure control group to test for chang…
Instagram influences
Buffering an Objectifying Culture
In this article, we report two studies that examined the dynamics between interpersonal sexual objectification, self-objectification, and individuals’ attachment in romantic relationships. Study 1 was based on data from 392 college students ( M age = 21.42 years, 66.8% women). Results showed positive associations between interpersonal sexual objectification, self-objectification, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance among women. For men, …
Queer folklore
The present study fills a gap in the media entertainment and fan studies literatures with an exploration of media fandom in relation to fans’ sexual identity acceptance. Using a sample of Taylor Swift fans who identify as women (N = 771), we address how fans’ motivations, practices, and oppositional readings of Taylor Swift’s 2020 album, folklore, are related to their sexual identity development as well as their acceptance of fluidity in others’ …
Not Another Teen Show
Television narratives present conflicting information regarding heterosexual, adolescent sexuality. In response to this, the present study examined the associations between adolescent girls’ (N = 419, Mage = 16.37, SD = 1.36) sexually oriented television viewing and their expectations in romantic and sexual relationships in two related domains. Results showed that sexually oriented teen television viewing was positively associated with adolescent…
The super man
Are We Past the Heterosexual Script? A Content Analysis of Contextual Cues Within the Heterosexual Script in Tween, Teen, and Young Adult Television Programs
In light of recent research establishing the prevalence of the heterosexual script on television (Aubrey et al., 2020; Kim et al., 2007), the present study investigated the context of the heterosexual script in 182 episodes of tween, teen, and young adult television programs. The following scripts were assessed: sex as masculinity (masculinity is achieved through sexuality), good girls (women are sexual gatekeepers), male commitment (men avoid co…
Resisting Privilege
Identifying ways to effectively communicate about racial/ethnic disparities is a place where communication scholars can make vital contributions. Yet, existing studies on this subject are scarce. Borrowing from reactance theory and the 3D model of White identity management, the present study tested whether exposing White adults to White privilege messaging helps them to become more aware or deny racial privilege. The results of our experiment rev…
A Sexy Post a Day Brings the “Likes” Your Way
“But first let me take a selfie”
While some scholars argue that selfies can be a way for teenage girls, particularly, to showcase their individual identity, others argue that selfie activities can lead to body dissatisfaction and self-objectification, to name a few consequences. Utilizing objectification theory, we examined selfie activities (selfie sharing, selfie editing, and selfie investment) in relation to self-objectification and appearance concerns with Imaginary Audience…
The Relational Burden of Objectification
The Impact of Sports Magazine Consumption on Mesomorphic Body Standards and Self-sexualizing Behaviors
The present three-wave panel study of 496 preadolescent boys ( Mage = 11.36, SD = 1.07) examined the impact of sports magazine consumption on mesomorphic body standards and self-sexualizing behaviors (e.g., drinking shakes in order to gain muscle mass, choosing clothing to show off muscles). Grounded in social cognitive theory, we also examined the moderating role of reward sensitivity. Results revealed that boys who consumed more sports magazine…
The Heterosexual Script on Tween, Teen, and Young-Adult Television Programs
In a well-cited 2007 paper in Journal of Sex Research, Kim and colleagues proposed and documented a heterosexual script on primetime television. In the present study, we provide a 15-year update on the portrayal of the heterosexual script, and we further examine how it relates to three contextual variables: target age of the audience, age of the characters, and relational context of the script. Drawing from a 2016 sample of television programs th…
The tween television diet
This content analysis, grounded in social cognitive theory, examined the nutritional quality of food, the outcomes associated with consuming food, the characters who reference food, and the context of food on narrative tween (9–14 year olds) television programs shown on Disney, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Teen Nick, and Cartoon Network in the 2004–2013 seasons. Nutritious foods were portrayed more frequently than non-nutritious foods, and the outcome…
Sexual References and Consequences for Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Characters on Television
A content analysis was conducted to examine sexual references and consequences among lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and heterosexual characters on television. The sample was composed of programs portraying an LGB lead or reoccurring character. Results showed that heterosexual and LGB characters engaged in sexual talk and behavior in similar contexts. When discussing LGB sexualities, however, heterosexual characters were disproportionately likely t…
Adolescent Sexting
We examined adolescent sexting using objectification theory as a framework. We hypothesized that sexting is a manifestation of trait self-objectification and the internalization of gender-specific media ideals about attractiveness. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 201 Midwestern adolescents, 14–17 years old. We tested a three-stage path model, which differed for female and male adolescents. For female adolescents, self-objectification was…
A Transnational Analysis of Skin Tone Ideals in Cosmetic Advertisements in Women's Lifestyle Magazines
A content analysis of cosmetic advertisements in British and Kenyan women's lifestyle magazines from 1955 to 1975 (colonial time period) and 2000 to 2010 (postcolonial period) was conducted. The findings suggested Eurocentric beauty ideals originated in the colonial period, whereas British magazines set the pattern for skin tone. In the postcolonial period, an increased similarity of ideals was observed with Kenyan models reflecting the Eurocentr…
Sexual Objectification in Music Videos
Although sexual objectification is commonplace in media culture, music videos provide the most potent examples of it. In the current study, we developed a coding system to measure sexual objectification and its correlates in music videos. Our analysis compared sexual objectification across artists' gender and musical genres (R&B/hip-hop, pop, and country). Compared to male artists, female artists were more sexually objectified, held to stricter a…
Exposure to Sexually Objectifying Media and Body Self-Perceptions among College Women
Sex and Punishment
Development and Validation of the Endorsement of the Hookup Culture Index
Although researchers have examined the predictors and outcomes of the behavioral aspect of "hooking up," typically defined as casual, commitment-free sexual encounters, research has not yet examined the extent to which young people endorse the culture associated with hooking up. Based on the argument that there is a set of understood rules and assumptions associated with hooking up, this article describes the development of an instrument to measu…
The Role of Lad Magazines in Priming Men's Chronic and Temporary Appearance-Related Schemata
We present a program of research investigating the effects of lad magazines on male body self-consciousness and appearance anxiety. Study 1, based on panel data from undergraduate men, showed that lad magazine exposure in Year 1 predicted body self-consciousness in Year 2. Study 2 was an experiment that showed that men assigned to view objectified women in lad magazines reported significantly higher levels of appearance anxiety and appearance-rel…
Looking Good Versus Feeling Good
The Impact of Sexually Objectifying Media Exposure on Negative Body Emotions and Sexual Self-Perceptions
Objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 Fredrickson, B. L. and Roberts, T.-A. 1997. Objectification theory: Toward understanding women's lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21: 173–206. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) contends that an objectifying culture can create a heightened level of body self-consciousness among young people. This study explores the role of body self-consci…
The Heterosexual Script on Tween, Teen, and Young-Adult Television Programs
In a well-cited 2007 paper in Journal of Sex Research, Kim and colleagues proposed and documented a heterosexual script on primetime television. In the present study, we provide a 15-year update on the portrayal of the heterosexual script, and we further examine how it relates to three contextual variables: target age of the audience, age of the characters, and relational context of the script. Drawing from a 2016 sample of television programs th…
Bodies After Babies
Queer folklore
The present study fills a gap in the media entertainment and fan studies literatures with an exploration of media fandom in relation to fans’ sexual identity acceptance. Using a sample of Taylor Swift fans who identify as women (N = 771), we address how fans’ motivations, practices, and oppositional readings of Taylor Swift’s 2020 album, folklore, are related to their sexual identity development as well as their acceptance of fluidity in others’ …
Buffering an Objectifying Culture
In this article, we report two studies that examined the dynamics between interpersonal sexual objectification, self-objectification, and individuals’ attachment in romantic relationships. Study 1 was based on data from 392 college students ( M age = 21.42 years, 66.8% women). Results showed positive associations between interpersonal sexual objectification, self-objectification, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance among women. For men, …
Sexual References and Consequences for Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Characters on Television
A content analysis was conducted to examine sexual references and consequences among lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and heterosexual characters on television. The sample was composed of programs portraying an LGB lead or reoccurring character. Results showed that heterosexual and LGB characters engaged in sexual talk and behavior in similar contexts. When discussing LGB sexualities, however, heterosexual characters were disproportionately likely t…
Adolescent Sexting
We examined adolescent sexting using objectification theory as a framework. We hypothesized that sexting is a manifestation of trait self-objectification and the internalization of gender-specific media ideals about attractiveness. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 201 Midwestern adolescents, 14–17 years old. We tested a three-stage path model, which differed for female and male adolescents. For female adolescents, self-objectification was…
We Do Babies! The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs of Pregnancy and Parenting in the Academy
The most awkward moment at that faculty meeting occurred when a certain senior colleague in the department replied, Well, when my wife was pregnant, she gave birth during spring break and didn't miss a day of class. Despite backstage reassurances that these were unrealistic expectations, those who were pregnant experienced an unspoken pressure that failure to minimize the interference of impending parenthood on their careers threatened public imp…
The Relational Burden of Objectification
A Sexy Post a Day Brings the “Likes” Your Way
The Impact of Sports Magazine Consumption on Mesomorphic Body Standards and Self-sexualizing Behaviors
The present three-wave panel study of 496 preadolescent boys ( Mage = 11.36, SD = 1.07) examined the impact of sports magazine consumption on mesomorphic body standards and self-sexualizing behaviors (e.g., drinking shakes in order to gain muscle mass, choosing clothing to show off muscles). Grounded in social cognitive theory, we also examined the moderating role of reward sensitivity. Results revealed that boys who consumed more sports magazine…
The Impact of Exposure to Sexually Oriented Media on the Endorsement of Hookup Culture
The "hookup culture" is prevalent, both in the media and on college campuses. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal relations between sexually oriented media exposure and emerging adults' endorsement of the hookup culture (EHC). To study this issue, a panel study of 1st-year college students was conducted. Participants completed a questionnaire on their media habits and EHC at the beginning of their 1st year of college …
Is the Actual Ideal
Harry Potter and the Self-Concept Clarity
The Harry Potter media franchise has recently come under fire because of author J. K. Rowling's transphobic commentary. LGBTQ+ fans have been particularly affected by Rowling's bigotry. To reconcile the dissonance surrounding a once beloved childhood text and the author's transphobic statements, LGBTQ+ fans likely engage in subversive fan behaviors (i.e. queer readings) to reclaim the wizarding world as their own. In the present study, we wanted …
The super man
Resisting Privilege
Identifying ways to effectively communicate about racial/ethnic disparities is a place where communication scholars can make vital contributions. Yet, existing studies on this subject are scarce. Borrowing from reactance theory and the 3D model of White identity management, the present study tested whether exposing White adults to White privilege messaging helps them to become more aware or deny racial privilege. The results of our experiment rev…
The twilight of youth
Twi-dudes and Twi-guys
The Twilight franchise, based upon the popular Young Adult vampire romantic series, is, unquestionably, female-driven. However, the series' romantic themes and enthusiastic female fans, as well as the public disdain they have received, have overshadowed the male fans of the series. To explore male fans' interest in Twilight, how they reconciled their masculine identities with their attraction to a feminine text, and what they learned from Twiligh…
Sex and Punishment
Effects of Sexually Objectifying Media on Self-Objectification and Body Surveillance in Undergraduates
Journal Article Effects of Sexually Objectifying Media on Self-Objectification and Body Surveillance in Undergraduates: Results of a 2-Year Panel Study Get access Jennifer Stevens Aubrey Jennifer Stevens Aubrey 1Department of Communication, The University of Missouri at Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211-2310 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Communication, Volume 56, Issue 2, June 2006, Pages 366–386, …
Exposure to Sexually Objectifying Media and Body Self-Perceptions among College Women
The Impact of Sexually Objectifying Media Exposure on Negative Body Emotions and Sexual Self-Perceptions
Objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 Fredrickson, B. L. and Roberts, T.-A. 1997. Objectification theory: Toward understanding women's lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21: 173–206. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) contends that an objectifying culture can create a heightened level of body self-consciousness among young people. This study explores the role of body self-consci…
We Do Babies! The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs of Pregnancy and Parenting in the Academy
The most awkward moment at that faculty meeting occurred when a certain senior colleague in the department replied, Well, when my wife was pregnant, she gave birth during spring break and didn't miss a day of class. Despite backstage reassurances that these were unrealistic expectations, those who were pregnant experienced an unspoken pressure that failure to minimize the interference of impending parenthood on their careers threatened public imp…
The Role of Lad Magazines in Priming Men's Chronic and Temporary Appearance-Related Schemata
We present a program of research investigating the effects of lad magazines on male body self-consciousness and appearance anxiety. Study 1, based on panel data from undergraduate men, showed that lad magazine exposure in Year 1 predicted body self-consciousness in Year 2. Study 2 was an experiment that showed that men assigned to view objectified women in lad magazines reported significantly higher levels of appearance anxiety and appearance-rel…
Looking Good Versus Feeling Good
Sexual Objectification in Music Videos
Although sexual objectification is commonplace in media culture, music videos provide the most potent examples of it. In the current study, we developed a coding system to measure sexual objectification and its correlates in music videos. Our analysis compared sexual objectification across artists' gender and musical genres (R&B/hip-hop, pop, and country). Compared to male artists, female artists were more sexually objectified, held to stricter a…
Development and Validation of the Endorsement of the Hookup Culture Index
Although researchers have examined the predictors and outcomes of the behavioral aspect of "hooking up," typically defined as casual, commitment-free sexual encounters, research has not yet examined the extent to which young people endorse the culture associated with hooking up. Based on the argument that there is a set of understood rules and assumptions associated with hooking up, this article describes the development of an instrument to measu…
The Impact of Exposure to Sexually Oriented Media on the Endorsement of Hookup Culture
The "hookup culture" is prevalent, both in the media and on college campuses. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal relations between sexually oriented media exposure and emerging adults' endorsement of the hookup culture (EHC). To study this issue, a panel study of 1st-year college students was conducted. Participants completed a questionnaire on their media habits and EHC at the beginning of their 1st year of college …
Is the Actual Ideal
Bodies After Babies
The twilight of youth
Twi-dudes and Twi-guys
The Twilight franchise, based upon the popular Young Adult vampire romantic series, is, unquestionably, female-driven. However, the series' romantic themes and enthusiastic female fans, as well as the public disdain they have received, have overshadowed the male fans of the series. To explore male fans' interest in Twilight, how they reconciled their masculine identities with their attraction to a feminine text, and what they learned from Twiligh…
A Transnational Analysis of Skin Tone Ideals in Cosmetic Advertisements in Women's Lifestyle Magazines
A content analysis of cosmetic advertisements in British and Kenyan women's lifestyle magazines from 1955 to 1975 (colonial time period) and 2000 to 2010 (postcolonial period) was conducted. The findings suggested Eurocentric beauty ideals originated in the colonial period, whereas British magazines set the pattern for skin tone. In the postcolonial period, an increased similarity of ideals was observed with Kenyan models reflecting the Eurocentr…
The tween television diet
This content analysis, grounded in social cognitive theory, examined the nutritional quality of food, the outcomes associated with consuming food, the characters who reference food, and the context of food on narrative tween (9–14 year olds) television programs shown on Disney, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Teen Nick, and Cartoon Network in the 2004–2013 seasons. Nutritious foods were portrayed more frequently than non-nutritious foods, and the outcome…
Sexual References and Consequences for Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Characters on Television
A content analysis was conducted to examine sexual references and consequences among lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and heterosexual characters on television. The sample was composed of programs portraying an LGB lead or reoccurring character. Results showed that heterosexual and LGB characters engaged in sexual talk and behavior in similar contexts. When discussing LGB sexualities, however, heterosexual characters were disproportionately likely t…
Adolescent Sexting
We examined adolescent sexting using objectification theory as a framework. We hypothesized that sexting is a manifestation of trait self-objectification and the internalization of gender-specific media ideals about attractiveness. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 201 Midwestern adolescents, 14–17 years old. We tested a three-stage path model, which differed for female and male adolescents. For female adolescents, self-objectification was…
The Heterosexual Script on Tween, Teen, and Young-Adult Television Programs
In a well-cited 2007 paper in Journal of Sex Research, Kim and colleagues proposed and documented a heterosexual script on primetime television. In the present study, we provide a 15-year update on the portrayal of the heterosexual script, and we further examine how it relates to three contextual variables: target age of the audience, age of the characters, and relational context of the script. Drawing from a 2016 sample of television programs th…
“But first let me take a selfie”
While some scholars argue that selfies can be a way for teenage girls, particularly, to showcase their individual identity, others argue that selfie activities can lead to body dissatisfaction and self-objectification, to name a few consequences. Utilizing objectification theory, we examined selfie activities (selfie sharing, selfie editing, and selfie investment) in relation to self-objectification and appearance concerns with Imaginary Audience…
The Relational Burden of Objectification
The Impact of Sports Magazine Consumption on Mesomorphic Body Standards and Self-sexualizing Behaviors
The present three-wave panel study of 496 preadolescent boys ( Mage = 11.36, SD = 1.07) examined the impact of sports magazine consumption on mesomorphic body standards and self-sexualizing behaviors (e.g., drinking shakes in order to gain muscle mass, choosing clothing to show off muscles). Grounded in social cognitive theory, we also examined the moderating role of reward sensitivity. Results revealed that boys who consumed more sports magazine…
Not Another Teen Show
Television narratives present conflicting information regarding heterosexual, adolescent sexuality. In response to this, the present study examined the associations between adolescent girls’ (N = 419, Mage = 16.37, SD = 1.36) sexually oriented television viewing and their expectations in romantic and sexual relationships in two related domains. Results showed that sexually oriented teen television viewing was positively associated with adolescent…
The super man
Are We Past the Heterosexual Script? A Content Analysis of Contextual Cues Within the Heterosexual Script in Tween, Teen, and Young Adult Television Programs
In light of recent research establishing the prevalence of the heterosexual script on television (Aubrey et al., 2020; Kim et al., 2007), the present study investigated the context of the heterosexual script in 182 episodes of tween, teen, and young adult television programs. The following scripts were assessed: sex as masculinity (masculinity is achieved through sexuality), good girls (women are sexual gatekeepers), male commitment (men avoid co…
Psychology (38 works) · Social Psychology (28 works) · Media, Gender, and Advertising (22 works) · Social Psychology (21 works) · Sociology (21 works) · Developmental psychology (20 works) · Gender, Feminism, and Media (18 works) · Gender Studies (14 works) · Eating Disorders and Behaviors (11 works) · Medicine (10 works)