The effect of the women-nature simile as a form of self-objectification on women's self-dehumanization

The current research aims to expand on objectification theory with the proposal of a different type of objectification pertaining to the women-nature similitude that has been around since time immemorial. Based on prevalent metaphors like "mother nature" and "mother earth", I proposed nature-based objectification, in a similar vein to benevolent sexism, to be a seemingly benevolent type of objectification. This is because these metaphors uplift women to a saint-like status while at the same time likening them to something non-human that can be characterized as similar to objects. The current research builds on objectification and dehumanization literature to explore the effects of different types of objectifications. Findings suggest that the proposed non-sexualized self-objectification of women, where they are likened to nature, can lead to a form of self-dehumanization where women's confidence in their decision-making, problem-solving abilities and self-expression decrease. The findings and its implications are discussed.