Sexuality and Gender Identity
Some of my research has focused on examining how early adolescents develop their own gender identity amidst heteronormative and sexualizing messages found across media
Main conclusion
The main conclusion of this dissertation is that sociocultural factors influence individuals’ behavior when they have accepted and internalized genderstereotypical beliefs, including sexualized appearance standards. Adolescents’ incorporation of such sexualized appearance ideals into their own body image and engagement in sexualized behaviors is triggered by their perception of attractiveness as rewarded. Early adolescents’ active participation in complying with sexualizing appearance ideals is likely influenced more by peer interactions than by media exposure, although media exposure can contribute to what is discussed among peers.
Selected publications
Burnell, K., Trekels, J., Prinstein, M.J. & Telzer, E.H. (2024). Daily co-fluctuations of adolescents’ social comparison tendency on social media and well-being. Affective science. Doi: 10.1007/s42761-024-00240-6
Trekels, J., Eggermont, S. (2017). Aspiring to have the looks of a celebrity: Young girls’ engagement in appearance management behaviors. European Journal of Pediatrics, 176 (7), 857-863. Doi: 10.1007/s00431-017-2918-81
Trekels, J., Eggermont, S. (2020). Me, Myself, and My Favorite Media Figure: An Objectification Perspective on the Role of Media and Peers in Early Adolescents’ Self-sexualization. Mass Communication & Society, 24(1), 31-56. doi: 10.1080/15205436.2020.1817943
Grower, P., Ward, M. L., & Trekels, J. (2019). Expanding Models Testing Media Contributions to Self-Sexualization. SAGE Open, april, 1-14. doi: 10.1177/2158244019848905
Trekels, J., Karsay, K., Eggermont, S., Vandenbosch, L. (2018). How Social and Mass Media Relate to Youth’s Self-Sexualization: Taking a Cross-National Perspective on Rewarded Appearance Ideals. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 1440-1455. doi: 10.1007/s10964-018-0844-3
Trekels, J., Eggermont, S. (2018). “I can/should look like a media figure.” The association between direct and indirect media exposure and teens’ sexualizing appearance behaviors. Journal of Sex Research, 55, 320-333. Doi: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1387754
Opportunities to Foster Positive Sexuality
Increasing diversity can elevate the opportunities for adolescents to develop a positive sexuality
Selected publications
Maes, C., Trekels, J., Impett, E., & Vandenbosch, L. (2022). The development of the Positive Sexuality in Adolescence Scale (PSAS). Journal of Sex Research. Online First Publication. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2021.2011826
