Sex Differences in Attitude Expression: A Generational Explanation

Abstract

Females have consistently shown higher DK response rates than males in surveys. Using the 1972 Center for Political Studies National Election Study, this sex difference is shown to be a largely generational phenomenon which is much greater among older than younger respondents. It also declines at higher levels of political knowledge and interest. Finally, using the CPS 1972-76 national panel, DK response rate shows high test-retest reliability. Ronald B. Rapoport is an Associate Professor of Government, College of William and Mary. The data for this study were made available by the Inter-University Consortium for Social and Political Research. Neither the Consortium nor the original collectors of the data are responsible for the analyses or interpretations presented here. The author would like to acknowledge the insightful suggestions of Jere Bruner on this project, and the helpful comments of Alan Abramowitz, Fritz Gaenslen, John McGlennon, Patricia Rapoport, and the anonymous reviewers on an earlier draft of this article. Public Opinion Quar-terly Vol. 46.86-96 ? 1982 by The Trustees of Columbia University Published by Elsevier North-Holland, Inc. 0033-362X/82/0046-86/$2.50 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.127 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 06:10:40 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms SEX DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDE EXPRESSION 87 data in their own right, and reveal something important about respon-