Development and psychometric evaluation of the interpersonal sexual objectification scale

This study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale ( ISOS). Data from 576 college women were collected in three studies. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered two factors: Body Evaluation and Unwanted Explicit Sexual Advances; confirmatory factor analysis supported this factor structure. ISOS scores were internally consistent and stable over a 3-week period. Supporting its construct validity, ISOS scores were ( a) strongly related to sexist degradation; ( b) slightly to moderately related to other sexist events, self-objectification ( i.e., body surveillance and internalization of the thin-ideal), and body shame; and ( c) unrelated to socially desirable responding. The relationship between ISOS scores and body shame was fully mediated by self-objectification, providing additional evidence for its construct validity. Furthermore, the ISOS garnered incremental validity, as it predicted self-objectification above and beyond the variance accounted for by sexist events.