The research problem that Armstrong, et al. are mainly addressing is slut discourse amongst undergraduate women. Considerations of social psychology, gender, and culture further complicate the explanation behind why women participate in slut discourse that goes beyond just the idea of controlling one’s sexuality and sexual privileges. Armstrong, et al. remain unconvinced that women participate in slut discourse simply without any personal gain and believe that this phenomena can be attributed to one’s socioeconomic status in relationship to their male counterparts in society.
Theoretical Foundation
The theories discussed within this article suggest that women participate in slut discourse as a result of internalized sexist oppression brought…show more content… This theory focuses on concepts such as interactions between an individual and the rest of society. This includes the concepts of the self, such as self-esteem and self-efficacy. The individual has his or her own conception of his or herself in relationship to the others within their appropriate social groups. The ways in which an individual sees themselves changes with respect to how other people may view them as well. In this case, women take into account (or sometimes do not consciously take into account), the stigma that sluttiness carries with its meaning. According to their social class, race, or gender status, women will often participate in what Schwabe and coauthors (2000), (as cited by Armstrong, et al., 2014, p. 102), define as “defensive othering.” In fear of the stigma sluttiness heavily carries, women on both ends of the spectrum seek to distance themselves from it by placing the blame on one another. This pursuit for perfected self-respect among women becomes a mission that is hard to achieve due to the many roles women take on. In the end, no woman is truly devoid of participating in slut discourse. The definition of sluttiness arises from the interactions that take place between low class and higher class women known as slut