The Counseling Psychologist, Ahead of Print.
In the current study we sought to find support for a culturally modified application of objectification theory to Asian and Asian American women. The positive association between socialization experiences (i.e., racial teasing and appearance-focused social pressure) and the outcome variable (i.e., consideration of cosmetic surgery) was hypothesized to be mediated by self-objectification processes (i.e., internalization of beauty standards, body surveillance, and lower body esteem). Results using path analysis showed that culturally dominant (United States) and culturally specific (Asian) internalization of beauty standards, culturally dominant (United States) and culturally specific (Asian) body surveillance, and lower body esteem were significant mediators between socialization experiences and consideration of cosmetic surgery. A multiple-group analysis demonstrated equivalence of the model for Asian international and Asian American female students, showing that both dominant and culturally specific beauty standards may contribute to self-objectification processes for this population.