Personality adjustment differences in the BEM masculinity and femininity scales

Abstract

Reproted two investigations. In the first, 40 mental health professionals rated the Bem Masculinity and Femininity Scale items for personality adjustment level. Our female judges gave the Masculinity items higher ratings than the Femininity items, but no difference appeared in the mean ratings of the male judges. Five items then were deleted from each scale to provide modified measures apparently matched for adjustment value. In the second study (N = 106) the MMPI scores, vocational satisfaction scores, and job tenures of psychiatric patients categorized as androgynous, masculine, feminine, or undifferentiated were compared. Significant differences appeared on three MMPI measures when the original scales were used to define gender type, but not when the adjustment-matched scales were used and Ss with invalid MMPIs were deleted. Thus previous findings interpreted as supporting the view that androgyny and masculinity are associated with good adjustment may be artifacts that resulted from differences in the adjustment values of the original scales.