Gender role perceptions and gender role conflicts of middle-class African American men

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between perceived desirability of certain gender role traits and the experience of gender role conflict in a sample of 95 middle-class African American men. Participants completed the Gender Role Conflict Scale and the Cultural Desirability Scale, a scale developed for the study. Results suggest that middle-class African American men perceive instrumental type gender role traits as important and desirable and expressive type gender role traits as less important or desirable. Additionally, the perceived desirability of gender role traits differentially predicted the patterns of gender role conflict.