Attribution of Feminine and Masculine Traits to Opposite-Sex Dyads

Abstract

Descriptions of achieving female and male dyads in different relationships were presented to subjects and rated using masculine and feminine stereotypic traits. The relationship between the dyads varied in level of involvement—no relationship between them, acquainted, dating and married. Both the male and female stimulus-persons were rated more masculine when they were successful than when they were unsuccessful. Attributions of masculine traits to the “out-of-role,” achieving, female stimulus-person were made on the basis of internal factors, whereas attributions to the “in-role” achieving, male stimulus-person were made on the basis of both internal and external factors. In ratings made by men, the woman's achievement level affected the man's masculinity and self-esteem when the couple was dating—they attributed lower masculinity and lower self-esteem to the male stimulus-person when the woman was a success than when she was a failure. A nonstereotypic description of the couple, in which the woman was first and the man second, increased the masculinity and decreased the femininity attributed to both of them.