Abstract
Individuals voluntarily internalize gender stereotypes and present personality characteristics and behaviors that conform to gender role requirements. The aim of the current study was to explore the reasons people internalize gender stereotypes. We conducted surveys with 317 college students in China to examine the relationship between gender self-stereotyping and life satisfaction. We also analyzed the mediating roles of relational self-esteem (RSE) and personal self-esteem (PSE) and the moderation role of gender. The results of path analysis showed that gender self-stereotyping directly affected life satisfaction and indirectly affected life satisfaction through RSE and PSE in a serial pattern; however, the serial mediation model was only significant in the male sample. Higher gender self-stereotyping was associated with male participants’ higher level of RSE and PSE and further correlated with higher life satisfaction. This study addressed the questions: “What are the benefits of gender self-stereotyping?” and “What are the major barriers to counter-stereotyping?” The results enrich our understanding of these issues, especially relative to the collectivist culture in China, and may be used to create more effective interventions to help people break through the stereotypes.
Highlights
Many films and television shows in China portray grandmother figure who favor boy grandchild over girl grandchild
The results showed that relational self-esteem (RSE) was positively associated with personal self-esteem (PSE) (β = 0. 62, p < 0. 001) and life satisfaction (β = 0. 27, p < 0. 001); PSE was positively associated with life satisfaction (β = 0.38, p < 0. 001)
The results showed that gender self-stereotyping directly promoted life satisfaction and indirectly affected life satisfaction through the serial mediation role of RSE and PSE
Summary
Many films and television shows in China portray grandmother figure who favor boy grandchild over girl grandchild. Empirical studies have shown that self-stereotyping is positively associated with well-being (Latrofa et al, 2009; Giamo et al, 2012), and women who violate their gender role requirements and appear to have more agency are discriminated against and judged for being “less feminine” (Rudman and Glick, 2001; Brescoll et al, 2010). The current study focused on the relationship between gender self-stereotyping and life satisfaction and its’ mechanisms. The discussion on this issue has important theoretical and practical significance. Self-stereotyping refers to a process by which people who belong to a stigmatized social group tend to describe themselves as having more stereotypical ingroup personality traits than nonstereotypical traits (Latrofa et al, 2009). Due to the influence of gender roles and gender stereotypes, many women have long hair, are family oriented, have feminine personality traits (tenderness and virtue), and prioritize occupations considered appropriate for the gender group (nursing and elementary school teacher) (Smith and Parrotta, 2018; Nielsen and Madsen, 2019; Duchin et al, 2020; Smith et al, 2021)
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