Linking Sexually Objectifying Work Environments Among Waitresses to Psychological and Job-Related Outcomes

The purpose of our study was to examine the relationships between experiences of working in sexually objectifying environments (SOEs) and psychological and job-related outcomes in a sample of 253 waitresses working in U.S. restaurants. Supporting our hypotheses, results indicated that SOEs were significantly positively correlated with waitresses’ experiences of interpersonal sexual objectification at work, internalization of cultural standards of beauty, and depression as well as negatively correlated with job satisfaction. Contrary to our hypotheses, SOEs were not directly related to self-objectification, body shame, self-esteem, or health habits. Furthermore, our findings revealed support for a theorized five-chain serial mediation model in which SOEs were related to job satisfaction both directly and indirectly via classic objectification theory processes (i.e., interpersonal experiences of sexual objectification in the restaurant environment, self-objectification, body shame, and depression). Finally, a direct positive link was found between interpersonal experiences of sexual objectification and depression. Our findings underscore the need to implement both individual- and system-level interventions to combat the existence of SOEs and the negative effects they may have on women.