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Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work

Bibi Zhang Orcid Logo, Barbara Wisse, Robert G. Lord

21st European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress

Swansea University Author: Bibi Zhang Orcid Logo

Abstract

Objectification – treating human beings as instrumental tools that are deprived of agency and experience – is inherent in many organizational practices, as some employers attempt to maximize profits by objectifying employees. However, objectification undermines target employees’ interests and well-b...

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Published in: 21st European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress
Published: 2023
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63214
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first_indexed 2023-04-19T15:27:35Z
last_indexed 2023-04-20T03:23:45Z
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spelling v2 63214 2023-04-19 Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work 75093b56ba50da0f779b01e67847b821 0000-0001-5715-4500 Bibi Zhang Bibi Zhang true false 2023-04-19 BBU Objectification – treating human beings as instrumental tools that are deprived of agency and experience – is inherent in many organizational practices, as some employers attempt to maximize profits by objectifying employees. However, objectification undermines target employees’ interests and well-being. This review seeks to address this dilemma by looking into relevant theories and empirical evidence with regard to workplace objectification. Specifically, this review summarizes and integrates what is known about antecedents and consequences of objectification from three different perspectives: Objectifying others, self-objectification, and experiencing objectification. We show that objectification originates in a market-pricing mode, such that people think of others and themselves in a calculative utilitarian way. This review sheds light on the dilemma of objectification by showing that people often objectify others in order to achieve their extrinsic goals, such as money and power, or to reduce subjectivity uncertainty, while thwarting the objectified targets’ fundamental control, belonging, and self-esteem needs. We provide a comprehensive framework that integrates the extant literature on objectification and identifies both theoretical and methodological recommendations. We conclude by discussing the practical implications on how to promote both employee wellness and performance (hence profitability). Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract 21st European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress 24 5 2023 2023-05-24 COLLEGE NANME Business COLLEGE CODE BBU Swansea University 2023-08-31T17:34:11.0857896 2023-04-19T16:12:32.5545010 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Management - Business Management Bibi Zhang 0000-0001-5715-4500 1 Barbara Wisse 2 Robert G. Lord 3
title Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
spellingShingle Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
Bibi Zhang
title_short Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
title_full Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
title_fullStr Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
title_full_unstemmed Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
title_sort Humans or machines? A systematic review of objectification at work
author_id_str_mv 75093b56ba50da0f779b01e67847b821
author_id_fullname_str_mv 75093b56ba50da0f779b01e67847b821_***_Bibi Zhang
author Bibi Zhang
author2 Bibi Zhang
Barbara Wisse
Robert G. Lord
format Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract
container_title 21st European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology Congress
publishDate 2023
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Management - Business Management{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Management - Business Management
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description Objectification – treating human beings as instrumental tools that are deprived of agency and experience – is inherent in many organizational practices, as some employers attempt to maximize profits by objectifying employees. However, objectification undermines target employees’ interests and well-being. This review seeks to address this dilemma by looking into relevant theories and empirical evidence with regard to workplace objectification. Specifically, this review summarizes and integrates what is known about antecedents and consequences of objectification from three different perspectives: Objectifying others, self-objectification, and experiencing objectification. We show that objectification originates in a market-pricing mode, such that people think of others and themselves in a calculative utilitarian way. This review sheds light on the dilemma of objectification by showing that people often objectify others in order to achieve their extrinsic goals, such as money and power, or to reduce subjectivity uncertainty, while thwarting the objectified targets’ fundamental control, belonging, and self-esteem needs. We provide a comprehensive framework that integrates the extant literature on objectification and identifies both theoretical and methodological recommendations. We conclude by discussing the practical implications on how to promote both employee wellness and performance (hence profitability).
published_date 2023-05-24T17:34:05Z
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score 11.013596

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