Bem Sex Role Inventory Research Articles

Who Would You Rather Work For? The Effect of Gender on Employee Perceptions

This study, a conjoint analysis, uses age, gender, and the leadership characteristics from the 12-item Bem Sex Role Inventory to determine how feminine and masculine characteristics affect the way females are perceived as managers. Participants in this study were asked to choose between two hypothetical bosses or managers based on a random combination of age, gender, and a leadership characteristic associated with either men or women. We hypothesized that leader gender would have a stronger effect on subordinate management preference than leader age or leader characteristics, that women possessing male leadership characteristics would be viewed less favorably than men possessing these same characteristics, that men are less likely to prefer female managers with masculine characteristics than women are, and that young females will be viewed less favorably than either young men, older men, or older women. The results of the study show that leader gender does not influence employees’ perceptions of their manager nearly as much as the leader’s age or manager characteristics do.

Interrelations of Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Psychological Gender with Victimization

Introduction. Victimization is the process and the result of a subject’s transformation into a victim of criminal assault. This widespread phenomenon entails serious negative consequences for its victims. However, scanty information is presently available on the interrelations of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychological gender with victimization. The purpose of this study is to examine these interrelations in a sample of Russian-speaking respondents.
 Methods. The study used (a) the Technique for Assessing the Adult Degree of Victimization developed by the author, (b) the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, and (c) the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. A large number of individual participants (n = 766, 394 women and 372 men), aged from 17 to 74 years, representing various professions and regions ensured representativeness of the study samples.
 Results and Discussion. Neuroticism was found to have positive associations with aggressive and dependent behaviors in women and men and with their overall victimization. Positive associations between neuroticism and vulnerability to manipulation were seen in women while there were negative correlations in men. Extraversion correlated negatively with overall victimization, aggressive and dependent behaviors in men, and also with vulnerability to manipulation in women and men. Extraversion correlated positively with aggressive and non-critical behaviors in women. Masculinity was positively associated with aggressive, self-destructive, and non-critical behaviors in men and boys and with their overall victimization, but negatively correlated with dependent behavior. Masculinity correlated positively with victimization resulting from self-destructive behavior in women and girls, but was negatively associated with victimization resulting from dependent behavior. Femininity was negatively associated with victimization resulting from aggressive behaviour in women, men, and boys, but positively correlated with vulnerability to manipulation in women. Because of the decline in the ‘aggressive behavior’ component of victimization, overall victimization in women declined with increasing age. By revealing the components of victimization that implement the examined correlations, this study complements the findings of previous research. The interrelations between victimization and extraversion significantly depend on gender differences, which explains the inconsistency of findings in previous studies.

Sexual Violence towards Men: Sexual Violence Judging from Individual Factors of Victims

This study aims to explore the gender characteristics of the victims of sexual violence, so thatcomprehensive understanding about determinants of sexual violence can be obtained. Gender characteristics allow society to evaluate gender as part of their social role that is devised and related to particular public view that men are seen as an individual with more physical strength and responsibility than women in many various contexts. This study involved five men as victims of sexual violence whom experienced it by their partner in context of intimate relationship. Data collecting used Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) questionnaire within in-depth interview. Result of this study was useful to provide a comprehensive description of mental dynamics according to the occurence of sexual violence. An understanding of sexual violence predictors was expected to reveal the phenomena of sexual violence towards men whereas lack of awareness in our society. Thus, considering the mental dynamics of sexual violence victim was headed us to be able to repeal the stigma related men and masculinity term. Result also revealed that sexual violence have been affected their identity and sexual activities. As the fact about this study, the existence of support system around them was an important help for them to deal and heal their conditon.

Gender traits in relation to work versus career salience

Orientation: The concepts of work- and career-role salience are used interchangeably, yet work focuses on the short-term aspect and career on the long-term aspect.Research purpose: We utilised gender traits, that is, masculinity, femininity and psychological androgyny, to find greater nuances in the salience of work versus career roles. We also set out to confirm the adapted factor structure of the revised Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI).Motivation for the study: Generally, self-reported sex is used to determine differences in role salience between men and women, as opposed to considering the gender roles people associate with.Research approach/design and method: A sample of 395 South African employees was used. Structural equation modelling and t-tests were applied.Main findings: We confirmed work- and career-role salience as distinct constructs. The factor structure of the revised BSRI holds for this study. With regard to gender traits, femininity decreased work-role salience, while psychological androgyny increased work-role salience. Masculinity had a direct effect on work-role salience while indirectly influencing career-role salience through work-role salience. Women were found to be significantly more feminine and psychologically androgynous than men.Practical/managerial implications: Utilising gender traits may have greater career guidance relevance for individuals than traditional approaches utilising differences between the sexes.Contribution/value-add: This study confirmed that work and career roles are to be viewed as separate constructs and that people may view the importance placed on work- and career-role salience differently. The study further contributes by including gender traits as a significant contributor to role salience.

A Rasch Adapted Version of the 30-Item Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI)

As a foundational instrument in the measurement of gender, the study investigated the psychometric properties of the item scores on the 30-item Bem Sex Roles Inventory (BSRI) to address concerns raised in previous studies and to determine possible differential item functioning (DIF) by applying a Rasch measurement model on a multicultural South African sample. A quantitative cross-sectional research design with 55.3% women and 44.4% men was used. Overall, we found support for the reliability and validity of BSRI item scores, consistent with findings in North American and European contexts. The results supported the use of a 6-point response format as opposed to the original 7-point response format. The items “aggressive” (masculinity) and “loves children” (femininity) were removed. The Neutral dimension fit the data well. No DIF for the groupings of man/woman, race, and language (the latter 2 as measures of culture) were found. This study makes contributions by applying a Rasch measurement model to the BSRI, scores which have previously only been validated through classical test theory and often excludes the validation of the neutral dimension scores.

Investigation of Appearance Anxiety and the Gender Role in Women's Sports Except for Social Gender Norms

The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), conducted by Hart et al. (2008) and adapted to Turkish by Dogan as Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) (Dogan, 2010) was used in our study. In the analysis of the data, t-test and ANOVA test were used. As a result; There was a significant difference between female athletes' hormone use variable and appearance anxiety and gender role (p <0.05). It was determined that female athletes using hormone had appearance anxiety. A significant difference was found between maternal educational status and appearance anxiety and gender role. A significant difference was found between the paternal education status variable and the masculine gender role. A significant negative correlation was found between the age variable and appearance anxiety of female athletes. There was a positive relationship between appearance anxiety and masculine gender role. When the gender role values increase the values of appearance anxiety increase. It is recommended that special contact with women athletes who go beyond the social gender norms should be established according to expert opinions and all actors such as sports managers, trainer, sportsman, referee, physical education teacher etc. should be informed. In order to increase the proportion of women engaged in sports in the society, to support the girls who are new to the sports and not to create false opinions about the sportswomen, it is recommended to put forward the role models suitable for the female athlete profile.

The association of psychological gender characteristics with quality of life and clinical aspects in patients with multiple sclerosis

To study the association between psychological gender characteristics and illness duration, severity of disability, asthenia, depression, anxiety and quality of life in multiple sclerosis (MS). One hundred patients (62 females and 38 males) with multiple sclerosis were studied. The following methods were used: The Mini-Mental State Examination, The Bem Sex Role Inventory adapted in Russia, The Expanded Disability Status Scale, The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20, The Beck Depression Inventory, The Spilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, The Short Form-36 (The Life Quality Questionnaire). The majority of patients had an androgynous type of psychological gender, some of patients were feminine. It was shown that there was an association between the number of feminine and masculine traits and MS duration, worsening of disability characteristics and life quality, increase in asthenia, depression and anxiety.

The effect of psychological gender on adherence to immunomodulatory therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis

To study the association between psychological gender and adherence to immunomodulatory therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. Thirty-four patients (25 women and 9 men) with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis were examined. The following methods were used: MMSE, The Bem Sex Role Inventory adapted in Russia, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. During three months patients reported the first and the last immunomodulator injections dates from every new pack. Then the patients' self-reports systematization and analysis were performed, drug-taking compliance and timing compliance were calculated. Twenty-eight patients had an androgynous type of psychological gender and six persons were feminine. The association was determined between high compliance and such psychological gender peculiarities as a significantly large number of feminine traits than masculine ones and the low number of masculine characteristics in men.

The effect of psychological gender on adherence to immunomodulatory therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis

To study the association between psychological gender and adherence to immunomodulatory therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. Thirty-four patients (25 women and 9 men) with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis were examined. The following methods were used: MMSE, The Bem Sex Role Inventory adapted in Russia, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. During three months patients reported the first and the last immunomodulator injections dates from every new pack. Then the patients' self-reports systematization and analysis were performed, drug-taking compliance and timing compliance were calculated. Twenty-eight patients had an androgynous type of psychological gender and six persons were feminine. The association was determined between high compliance and such psychological gender peculiarities as a significantly large number of feminine traits than masculine ones and the low number of masculine characteristics in men.

Gender Differences in Self-Compassion: Examining the Role of Gender Role Orientation

Meta-analytic research suggests that women have slightly lower levels of self-compassion than men, but the contribution of gender role orientation has not been carefully explored. The current study examines the joint associations of self-identified gender and gender role orientation with self-compassion in undergraduate (N = 504) and community adult (N = 968) samples, using two measures of gender role orientation. The Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) were used to classify each participant into a single gender role orientation category based on relative scores on the masculinity and femininity subscales, with respect to the sample, and average scores for each continuous subscale were also retained. The categorical gender role orientation classifications were used in mean comparisons of self-compassion across groups, and the average masculinity and femininity subscale scores were used in regression modeling. Results replicated the small effect size for gender differences in self-compassion for both samples, with self-identified men having significantly higher levels of self-compassion than self-identified women. Results also consistently showed that the impact of self-identified gender on self-compassion was smaller than the impact of masculine gender role orientation, suggesting that socialization plays a strong role, and that those high in both femininity and masculinity tended to have the highest levels of self-compassion. Effect sizes and specific findings differed by gender, sample, and gender role orientation measure. Therefore, a nuanced understanding of differences in self-compassion based on gender and gender role orientation is needed.

Influence of biological sex, trait gender, and state gender on pain threshold, pain tolerance, and ratings of pain severity

The current study investigated pain threshold, pain tolerance, and pain severity in relation to sex, trait gender, and state gender using an experimental design. The participants included 232 women and 69 men. The BEM Sex Role Inventory was used to measure trait gender. State gender was assessed by randomly assigning participations to a feminine, a masculine, or a neutral prime. Pain was assessed using the cold pressor task. Participants were assessed for their pain threshold, pain tolerance, and pain severity at both threshold and tolerance. Two three-way interactions were found. For pain threshold, masculine males had the highest pain in the feminine prime, while masculine females had the highest pain in the masculine prime. For pain severity at threshold, feminine males reported less pain in the feminine condition, while androgynous males reported the highest pain in the feminine condition. For females, masculine females reported the least pain in the masculine prime, while androgynous females reported more pain in the neutral condition. The study supports the premise that both trait gender and state gender can play a role in influencing male's and female's responses to pain. Future research should explore these effects in patient populations.

Psychopathic Traits' Differential Relations With Aggression Forms: Considering the Roles of Gender and Gender Role Adherence

Research has yielded inconsistent findings between psychopathy and aggression, with findings varying as a function of type of psychopathic trait (i.e., affective, behavioral) and aggression form (i.e., physical, relational). Although some research has explored the role of gender in these relations, gender role adherence has received scant attention. Using an undergraduate sample (N = 320), we aimed to clarify mixed findings on how psychopathic traits relate to aggression forms across males and females; examine how psychopathic traits relate to gender role adherence; and ascertain the roles of gender and gender role adherence in the relations between psychopathic traits and aggression. Psychopathic traits manifested differential relations with gender role adherence such that Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R) Fearless Dominance was most strongly and positively associated with Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) Masculinity, whereas PPI-R Self-Centered Impulsivity and Coldheartedness were negatively associated with BSRI Femininity. BSRI Masculinity and Femininity were uniquely and differentially associated with aggression forms, and remained associated with aggression forms above and beyond both psychopathy and gender. In addition, BSRI Masculinity moderated the relations between PPI-R Self-Centered Impusivity and physical aggression such that those high in both Masculinity and Self-Centered Impulsivity were most prone to physical aggression. In contrast, although BSRI Femininity was negatively associated with aggression, it did not buffer against aggression in the presence of psychopathic traits. Overall, our results underscore the importance of considering gender role adherence in understanding differences in psychopathy and aggression.

The effect of gender role orientation on student nurses’ caring behaviour and critical thinking

AimWe explored the impact of gender role orientation (masculinity and femininity) on student nurses’ caring behaviour and critical thinking. BackgroundCaring and critical thinking are at the core of professional nursing education. Previous studies revealed inconsistent findings regarding the impact of gender roles on caring behaviour and critical thinking. Design and MethodsWe employed a quantitative correlational study. Nursing students (N = 449; female = 310, male = 139) who had at least had one month of clinical practice experience were recruited from four universities in Taiwan. Students’ ages ranged from 19 to 29 years (Mean age = 21.24 years, SD = 1.28). Data were collected from August 2016 to July 2017, using three questionnaires: Taiwan Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI), Caring Assessment Report Evaluation Q-sort Scale (CARE-Q), and Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Partial least squares structural equation modelling and generalized linear models were conducted to test the research model and hypotheses. ResultsFindings indicated that students who reported higher caring and masculinity presented greater critical thinking (ß = .37 and ß = 0.24, respectively; ps < .001). Students’ gender, age, femininity, or clinical practice experience, however, were not significantly associated with critical thinking (ß = -0.01, ß = 0.09, ß = .10, and ß = 0.01, respectively; ps > .05). In addition, students who reported higher masculinity and femininity presented greater caring behaviour (ß = .22 and ß = 0.38, respectively; ps < .001). Students’ gender, age or clinical practice experience were not significantly associated with caring behaviour (ß = .04, ß = .03, and ß = -0.05, respectively; ps > 0.05). The findings confirmed a direct influence of caring and masculinity on critical thinking. Masculinity indirectly affected critical thinking via caring behaviour. Caring and masculinity accounted for 34.4% of the variance in critical thinking, and masculinity and femininity accounted for 29.1% of the variance in caring behaviour. ConclusionOur study confirms the effect of age, gender role, and caring behaviour on critical thinking. We recommend that the cultivation of nursing care behaviour focus on students’ gender role orientation. In addition, clinical nurse educators, when working with male students on patient caring, should consider their gender role orientation and support male nursing students’ ways of presenting caring behaviours.

The Gender Gap in Physical and Life Sciences: Masculinity, Femininity, Occupational Values, and Chilly Climate

Although women have advanced considerably in science achievement, course taking, degrees earned, and professional positions held over the past four decades, most of this growth in female representation within the sciences has been confined to the life sciences while women's representation in physical, engineering, and mathematical (PEM) sciences remains recalcitrantly low. Many studies of this problem emphasize that life sciences are more compatible with stereotypical feminine personality characteristics, while PEM sciences are associated with traits understood to be culturally masculine. Operationalizing masculine and feminine personality traits with the Bem Sex Role Inventory, we test a series of hypotheses addressing the extent to which masculine and feminine personality characteristics explain why female STEM majors are less likely to be enrolled in a PEM science major compared to a life science major with a sample of 425 STEM majors drawn from a large, public, STEM-oriented university.

Gendering Occupations: An Introductory Exercise for Teaching Reproduction of the Binary Gender System

This paper presents a foundational classroom exercise used to help introduce the systemic and interactional aspects of the binary gender system, using 12 occupations selected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and personality characteristics from the Bem Sex Role Inventory. This activity was conducted in an introductory Diversity course at a Midwestern community college over 13 semesters (n = 603). Collected results indicate a strong tendency for students to invisibly gender each occupation without any suggestive cues and a willingness in retrospect to examine their role in the implicit process of gendering. As such, this exercise may offer an additional strategy to help students understand that their individual agency can serve both to reproduce and challenge existing power relations.

606 Are masculinity and femininity correlated with attachment styles? a pilot study with bem sex role inventory and attachment style questionnaire

Masculinity and Femminity are characteristics that across both the gender and represent an integrant part of personality. The aim of this study was evaluate a possible relationship between Masculinity/Femmininity traits with Attachment Style. We recruited a convenience sample composed by 91 university students and we administered them a psychometric protocol. We invited the individuals to compile a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess relational patterns, the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BEM) for masculinity/femininity. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to evaluate our data. Pearson Correlation revealed the following associations in the total sample about masculinity: confidence (r=.397; p<.001), need for approval (r=-.215; p<.05) and preoccupation with relationship (r=-.213; p<.05). At the same way, in female group masculinity correlates with confidence (r=.339; p<.05), and also in males (.439; p<.001). However, in male group femininity traits are in association with need for approval (r=471; p<.001) and preoccupation with relationship (r=329; p<.05).

464 Socio-demographic and psychological characteristics associated to the attitude towards homoparenting

Attitude towards homo-parenting is conditioned by several factors, as cultural, social, religious and psychological aspects. In this study we aim to evaluate the role of socio-demographic charateristics, attachment style and masculinity or femininity related to positive and negative attitudes towards homparental couple. We recruited a convenience sample composed by 91 university students and we administered them a psychometric protocol. We invited the individuals to compile a socio-demographic questionnaire was administered, the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess relational patterns, the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BEM) for masculity/femininity, and the D’Amore and Green Same-sex Parenting Scale for attitudes towards same sex parenting. Comparison of means, correlation and regression analyses were performed to evaluate our data. Females revealed a higher attitude in favor of same-sex parenting (females=28.2±5.61 vs. males=24.1±8.87; p<0.01). No correlations among psychological variables as attachment styles and masculinity/femininity traits were found. On the other hand, several sociodemographic characteristics correlates with attitude towards homoparenting. In particular in females a high attitude is associated with positive attitude towards surrogacy (β=.29; p=.006) homosexual marriage (β=.308; p=.003) and dychotomic response to homoparenting (β=.413; p=.0000). While a reverse relation between a high attitude and favorable response to ART (β=-.301; p=.001). Only males favorable to dychotomic response to homoparenting showed high scores to D’Amore and Green Scale (β=.600; p=.0000). No influence of political or religion orientation and relationship status were found.

The Organizational Effect of Prenatal Testosterone Upon Gender Role Identity and Mental Toughness in Female Athletes

Research has identified a correlation between prenatal markers of testosterone (2D4D) and sport performance. This relationship is thought to be explained by several important psychophysiological variables such as physical fitness and mental toughness. The current study sought to add to this body of research by examining the differences between high and low 2D4D, in measures of gender identity (Bem Sex Role Inventory) and mental toughness (the 48-item version of the Mental Toughness Questionnaire). A sample of 116 recreational (n = 59) and competitive netballers (n = 57) completed the psychological measures and provided right-hand scans from which 2D4D ratio measures were drawn. The key results included a large effect of low digit ratio on emotional control, life control, and interpersonal confidence. These findings suggest that 2D4D could provide a marker for sporting potential and mental toughness in female sport participants. However, future research may wish to establish the relative contribution of prenatal factors (e.g., 2D4D) and socialization factors (e.g., involvement in a sporting context) on sporting ability and related psychological variables.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ПЕРЦЕПЦІЇ У СТУДЕНТСЬКОЇ МОЛОДІ (ГЕНДЕРНИЙ АСПЕКТ)

В статті висвітлено гендерні особливості соціальної перцепції у студентської молоді. Термін «соціальна перцепція» у загальному вигляді означає формування у свідомості людини образу іншого. Зміст поняття включає сприймання не тільки фізичних властивостей об’єкта, а також його внутрішніх характеристик: намірів, думок, здібностей, емоцій, установок, цінностей тощо. Доведено, що існує зв’язок між такими гендерними характеристиками особистості, як фемінність, маскулінність, андрогінність та соціальною перцепцією. Для представників обох статей є притаманними гендерні соціальні стереотипи і установки, які, з одного боку, базуються на гендерних особливостях, а з іншого – підкріплюючись соціальним оточенням, призводять до прояву ще більших гендерних відмінностей в сприйманні оточуючого світу, що в свою чергу може призводити до непорозумінь та конфліктів між чоловіками та жінками.&#x0D; Ключові слова: соціальна перцепція, гендерні стереотипи, студентська молодь.&#x0D;

Predictors of Turkish University students’ marital attitudes

In Turkey, it has been observed that marital attitudes have changed in recent years. In this study, it is aimed to examine the relationship between university students’ marital attitudes and mate selection strategies, gender roles, sex, relationship status and age variables. The sample of the study is made up of 706 (412 females, 294 males) university students. As the data collection instruments, Inonu Marital Attitude Scale, Mate Selection Strategies Inventory and Bem Sex Role Inventory were used in the study. The data analysis was performed using hierarchical regression technique. According to the study findings, virginity and physical attributes mate selection strategies, feminine gender role, age, sex and relationship status variables are significant predictors of university students’ marital attitudes. It was found that importance given to physical attributes and virginity were associated with more positive attitudes towards marriage. Having a higher level of feminine characteristics was associated with more positive attitudes towards marriage.