The research, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, suggests that we process images of men and women differently in the brain. “Global” cognitive processing, which is the brain’s method of interpreting an image in its entirety, is more often employed when viewing men. However, “local” cognitive processing, or seeing the parts that make up the whole, is the brain’s apparent default method for women.
Researchers say this may explain why women are often the subjects of sexual objectification, which many believe puts them at risk for increased anxiety and mental health issues.
In the study, participants were first shown dozens of images of average looking men and women. Then they were presented with isolated images of body parts from those photos. Consistently, women’s parts were more easily recognized, indicating a different method of mental processing.
And it’s not just men that perceive women differently. Both genders view women this way, but possibly for different reasons. “Men might be doing it because they're interested in potential mates,” said Sarah Gervais, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the study's lead author, “while women may do it as more of a comparison with themselves. But they're both doing it."
Gervais says it’s not just Hollywood women who are reduced to their body parts. Average, everyday women are mentally broken down in the same way. There might be a way to counteract this bias in the brain, she says, noting that the findings need further analysis.
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