Using a between-participants experimental paradigm, the present study investigated U.S. adolescent boys’ (n = 96) and college men’s (n = 194) attitudes toward media images of male athletes as well as their thoughts about the athletes. Participants viewed either sexualized (i.e., skin exposed, sexual pose) or performance (i.e., in uniform and in action poses on the field/court) images of male athletes. They then rated the athletes’ competence, esteem, and sexual appeal and completed a writing task about their reactions to the images. Male viewers rated the sexualized athletes lower in competence and esteem and higher in sexual appeal compared to the performance athletes. These results have implications for advocacy efforts calling for less sexualization in today’s media environment. 

本研究使用参与者之间的实验范式，调查了美国青春期男孩（n = 96）和大学生（n = 194）对男性运动员媒体形象的态度以及他们对运动员的看法。参与者观看了男性运动员的性感（即，皮肤暴露，性姿势）或表演（即，在场上/球场上的制服和动作姿势）图像。然后，他们对运动员的能力、自尊和性吸引力进行评分，并完成了一项关于他们对图像反应的写作任务。与表现型运动员相比，男性观众对性化运动员的能力和自尊的评价较低，而性吸引力较高。这些结果对呼吁在当今媒体环境中减少性化的宣传工作具有影响。