There is a growing scholarly literature on how women's perceptions of themselves and behavior are shaped by the male gaze. Drawing on objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts,1997) as
a synthesis of theorizing and research on the sexual objectification of women, Calogero (Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk) discusses methodological issues in measuring this construct. Mostly
US contributors discuss sexualization as the norm in US culture, the consequences of unrealistic expectations of female beauty in Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story The Birthmark (1843), a
life-span approach to women's experiences, and the deleterious effects of self-objectification on cognitive performance and mental health. Examples are given of positive body image promotion,
e.g., competitive athletics, healthy eating. Annotation 穢2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
