Science shows how men objectify women

A recent article by CNN explained how men view bikini-clad women as objects, according to new scientific research by Susan Fiske, a professor of psychology at Princeton University.

The research concluded that when men view images of women in bikinis, their brain areas associated with handling tools and intention to perform actions become more active.

"This is just the first study which was focused on the idea that men of a certain age view sex as a highly desirable goal, and if you present them with a provocative woman, then that will tend to prime goal-related responses," Fiske told CNN.

The article says that the way men depersonalize sexual or revealing images of women is a byproduct of human evolution.

"They're not fully conscious responses, and so people don't know the extent to whichttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifh they're being influenced," Fiske said in the CNN article. "It's important to recognize the effects."

The study was done at and involved 21 male heterosexual undergraduate students. They were provided with questions, and their answers would show whether they are sexist, and to what degree. A "benevolent" sexist would believe in sexist traditions like how the woman's place is supposed to be in the home. A "hostile" sexist would believe women attempt to dominate men.

While viewing images of women in next to nothing, the area in their brains associated with analyzing thoughts and feelings was inactive in those men who were rated as hostile sexists. Also, Fiske said that men seem to remember those scantily-clad women better than fully-clothes women, even though each image shown was displayed for only a second or shorter.