Misogynous messages in the media increase hostility to women: Evidence from a meta-analysis of 257 experimental and nonexperimental studies.

What is it about?

Consumption of misogynistic media content increases negative reactions towards women. Scientific research has consistently demonstrated that the consumption of misogynistic media content is associated with increased hostility towards women. While it was previously unclear whether men and women exhibit similar negative reactions, recent findings indicate that when media content contains explicit violence against women, it is primarily men – rather than women – who display negative responses.

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Why is it important?

The stereotypical, condescending, or degrading portrayal of women is repeatedly observed across various media formats, including advertisements, online forums, films, music videos by misogynistic artists, advertisements featuring oversexualized women, and video games that objectify women. A representative survey conducted by the European Commission in 2017 revealed that over half of respondents consider the portrayal of women in various media to be problematic. This meta-analysis – an overarching statistical evaluation of previously published studies – systematically examined the relationship between misogynistic media content, across diverse media forms, and misogynistic reactions. The study reviewed scientific literature spanning approximately 47 years and included 257 studies with a total of 132,933 participants. Both experimental studies (e.g., controlled media exposure in laboratory settings) and non-experimental studies, such as surveys on media consumption, were considered. Effect sizes from all studies were calculated and synthesized using advanced meta-analytic methods to determine the relationship between exposure to misogynistic media content and hostile attitudes or behaviors towards women. The analysis encompassed a wide range of media, including films, television, music, music videos, video games, books and other texts, images, advertising, magazines, journals, pornography, and social media content. This comprehensive approach enabled the researchers to identify which types of misogynistic content are particularly problematic. The results of the meta-analysis have been published in the journal Psychological Bulletin.   Particularly Serious Consequences for Men and Young People The results of our study are particularly significant as we were able to examine a broad spectrum of reactions, ranging from relatively benign stereotypical attitudes to aggressive behavior towards women. The findings indicate that violent content, which is readily identifiable as misogynistic, leads to increased hostility towards women, especially among men, but not among women. In contrast, the consumption of humiliating and pornographic content results in more hostile reactions towards women in both men and women. Furthermore, younger participants aged between 10 and 18 exhibited particularly hostile reactions towards women following exposure, compared to older individuals with greater life experience. It is especially concerning that, as a result of consuming misogynistic media content, participants frequently deny women their humanity, perceive their bodies primarily as objects, and behave aggressively towards women. Women are even increasingly regarded as culpable if they have been victims of rape.

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