Sex role and dysphoric mood

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the relation of sex-role type to dysphoric mood and to the manipulation of dysphoric affect. Initially, subjects completed a variety of measures yielding indices of dysphoria, anxiety, and hostility. Androgynous persons reported the least dysphoria, anxiety, and hostility. Subjects from the original sample who volunteered for the second part of the study were randomly assigned to the neutral or depression conditions of the Velten Mood Induction Procedure. Androgynous types again reported the least anxiety and dysphoria in the neutral type situation; however, when exposed to depressive stimuli, they showed the greatest increase in dysphoria. Masculine-typed persons showed virtually no change in mood. These results lend strong support to the association of sex-typing with depression in that the sex types were differentially susceptible to dysphoric mood. However, the results are contrary to the only other reported study of sex role and depression which successfully manipulated affect. Differences in methodology (learned helplessness versus mood induction) and the fact that the previous study forced subjects to lose control and fail may account for the differing results.