A Cross-Cultural Study of Mexican American, Black American, and White American Women at a Large Urban University

Abstract

Despite increased emphasis in recent literature on the psychology of women, there are few cross-cultural empirical studies of specific ethnic groups of women. This study examines comparatively how 279 Mexican American, black American, and white American college female freshmen in Houston, Texas, perceive themselves according to masculine, feminine, and androgynous measurements. The study investigates the perceived sex-role differences among the three groups of women according to the Bem Sex Role Inventory. While there were some significant differences among the three groups, the groups were more similar than different with regard to sex-role categories. The greatest percentage of each of the three ethnic/racial groups was androgynous. The findings suggest that social class is more influential than ethnicity/race in determining sex-role behavior of women. As people move upward in social class, they tend to be more homogeneous.