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Psychology 320: Gender Psychology

Lecture 10

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2. What are gender ideologies?

History of Research on Gender Psychology, Gender Ideologies and Sex Stereotypes

3. What are sex stereotypes?

4. What features characterize female and male stereotypes?

1. What theories and research characterize the history of gender psychology? (continued)

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Although relatively little research has examined gender-role strain among females, a recent study (Gillespie & Eisler, 1992) identified several sources of gender-role strain among women:

Fear of unemotional relationships, fear of physical unattractiveness, fear of victimization, fear of behaving assertively, fear of not being nurturant.

Measures of gender-role strain among females include and the Feminine Gender Role Stress Scale

(FGRSS; Gillespie & Eisler, 1992).

What theories and research characterize the history of gender psychology? (continued)

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Sample Items from the FGRSS (Gillespie & Eisler, 1992)

Having to deal with unwanted sexual advances.Being pressured for sex when seeking affection from your mate.Being considered promiscuous.Being perceived by others as overweight.Being heavier than your mate.Being unable to change your appearance to please someone.Hearing a strange noise while you are home alone.Feeling that you are being followed by someone.Having your car break down on the road.Making sure you are not taken advantage of when buying a house or car.Trying to be a good parent and excel at work.Supervising older and more experienced employees at work.Returning to work soon after your child is born.Having a weak or incompetent spouse.A very close friend stops speaking to you

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High gender-role strain scores among females are associated with relatively poor psychological and physical well-being.

Daily Hassles Depression

FGRSS .43* .31*

Correlations Among FGRSS Scores, Daily Hassles, and Depression (Gillespie & Eisler, 1992)

*p<.01

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What are gender ideologies?

• Gender ideologies refer to people’s beliefs regarding the appropriateness of maintaining distinct social

roles for males and females.

• Three gender ideologies have been identified (Hochschild, 1989):

The traditional gender ideology: Males should assume work roles, whereas females should assume domestic roles.

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The egalitarian gender ideology: Males and females can assume both work roles and domestic roles. Moreover, males and females can place equal emphasis on work roles and domestic roles.

The transitional gender ideology: Males and females can assume both work roles and domestic roles. However, males should hold proportionally more responsibility for work and females should hold proportionally more responsibility for home.

• A contemporary measure of gender ideologies is the Liberal Feminist Attitude Ideology Scale (LFAIS;

Morgan, 1996).

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It is insulting to the husband when his wife does not take his last name. (R)If the husband is the sole wage earner in the family, the financial decisions should be his. (R)When they go out, a man and woman should share dating expenses if they both have the same income.As head of the household, the father should have final authority over his children. (R)Both husband and wife should be equally responsible for the care of young children.The first duty of a woman with young children is to home and family. (R)A man who has chosen to stay at home and be a house-husband is not less masculine than a man who is employed full-time.An employed woman can establish as warm and secure a relationship with her children as a mother who is not employed.A woman should not let bearing and rearing children stand in the way of a career if she wants it.Women should be more concerned with clothing and appearance than men. (R)

Items from the LFAIS (Morgan, 1996)

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What are sex stereotypes?

This individual is an accomplished 20th century political figure who, prior to entering politics, worked as a research chemist and as a tax attorney.

This internationally recognized public figure was known to be a loving and involved parent, and had gained a reputation for always being well coifed and tastefully dressed.

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• Sex stereotypes: Cognitive schemas or organized knowledge structures that reflect beliefs about the shared characteristics of females and the shared

characteristics of males. Sex stereotypes may be positive, negative, or neutral.

• Sex stereotypes are automatically activated, influencing our perceptions of others and our interpretations of their behaviours and responses. Example: Condry & Condry (1976).

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What features characterize female and male stereotypes?

• Broverman et al. (1972):

Recruited American female and male participants of varying age, religion, marital status, and educational background.

Presented participants with 122 characteristics and asked them to indicate the extent to which each item characterized the average adult female and the

average adult male.

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Identified 41 characteristics (positive and negative) that participants believed differentiate females and males.

Defined a stereotypical characteristic as one for which 75% of both females and males agreed that the characteristic described one sex more than the other.

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Stereotypically male characteristics reflect assertion competence, and rationality.

Stereotypically female characteristics reflect warmth and expressiveness.

Males and females described the stereotypically male characteristics as more socially desirable than the stereotypically female characteristics.

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• Williams and Best (1990) replicated Broverman et al.’s findings across 30 countries.

Recruited male and female participants from diverse countries (e.g., Austria, Bolivia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Peru, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Unites States).

Presented participants with 300 characteristics and asked them to indicate which items were more

characteristic of men and which items were more characteristic of women.

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Defined a stereotypical characteristic as one for which:

1. two-thirds of both females and males within a country agreed that the characteristic described one sex more than the other (indicating consensus within that country for the characteristic).

2. three-quarters of the countries surveyed agreed that the characteristic described one sex more than the other (indicating cross-cultural consensus for the characteristic).

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Characteristics Consensually Associated with Men

Dominant Self-confident Boastful

Adventurous Assertive Unkind

Strong Energetic Opportunistic

Aggressive Coarse Logical

Forceful Clear-thinking Inventive

Independent Active Robust

Unemotional Stern Progressive

Wise Courageous Daring

Ambitious Rational Hardhearted

Determined Disorderly Realistic

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Characteristics Consensually Associated with Women

Charming Fearful Weak

Sensitive Gentle Curious

Emotional Mild Sexy

Shy Pleasant Talkative

Anxious Submissive Affectionate

Attractive Dependent Affected

Meek Kind Softhearted

Sentimental Superstitious Dreamy

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These lists of characteristics were examined in an effort to identify their underlying dimensions. Three dimensions were identified:

3. Positivity: In general, men were viewed more positively than women.

2. Activity: In general, men were viewed as beingmore active than women.

1. Strength: In general, men were viewed as beingstronger than women.

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Scoring Your Questionnaire: ASI

• Reverse score items 3, 6, 7, 13, 18, and 21:

5 1 4 2 3 = 3 2 4 1 5

• Compute the following averages:

Score 1: Add your scores on items 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21. Divide total by 11.

Score 2: Add your scores on items 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 22. Divide your total by 11.

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2. What are gender ideologies?

History of Research on Gender Psychology, Gender Ideologies and Stereotypes

3. What are sex stereotypes?

4. What features characterize female and male stereotypes?

1. What theories and research characterize the history of gender psychology? (continued)