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. These conclusions are based on a comprehensive international study led by the University of Bern.
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.
In a recently published study, Dr. Christa Nater from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Bern, together with an international research team, conducted a meta-analysis - an overarching statistical evaluation of previously published studies - to systematically examine the relationship between misogynistic media content, across diverse media forms, and misogynistic reactions. The research team, comprising members from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the United States, systematically 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," states Dr. Christa Nater, first author of the study and researcher at the University of Bern. 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," says Nater. "Women are even increasingly regarded as culpable if they have been victims of rape."
Clear Message to Media Producers
The last author of the study, Angela Dorrough from FernUniversität Hagen, says: "Our meta-analysis provides robust evidence that the consumption of misogynistic media content is reliably associated with increased hostility towards women." The study also conveys a clear and practical message, as Nater emphasizes: "Media producers have the capacity to reduce the portrayal of women in misogynistic and discriminatory ways, thereby decreasing hostility and violence towards women and supporting ongoing efforts to achieve gender equality."
