Attitudes toward Gender Equality: A Q Methodological Study

Abstract

Attitudes towards gender equality are usually dichotomized. Those who say they support (or oppose) gender equality, however, may actually have different opinions on gender equality. When using traditional methods such as surveys and interviews in which respondents are asked to select one choice from limited choices that were prepared by a researcher, various subjective attitudes towards gender equality may not be well identified. This article uses Q methodology to identifying five different attitudes towards gender equality. This diversity of attitudes towards gender equality suggests that conventional measures of attitudes towards gender equality can be improved. Future researchers could extend the research to additional groups of respondents, thereby gaining a better understanding of attitudes towards gender equality and of gender equality itself.