Gender Role Preferences and Perceptions of University Administrators

Abstract

This study provides a model for institution-specific assessment of gender role preferences and perceptions, based on the responses of 321 university administrators to the Sex Role Trait Inventory. Women administrators described their ideal woman, ideal man, and themselves as androgynous. For male administrators, the ideal woman was androgynous, but these men defined their ideal man and themselves as masculine. Women and men both perceived most actual women and men as sex-typing by male respondents, gender role attitudes of women and men, and particularly female and male senior administrators, were similar.