Feminine Gender Role Orientation Research Articles

A women’s issue? The role of backlash and issue ownership in users’ engagement with articles about gender equality

ABSTRACT Gender equality issues are receiving increasing media attention. At the same time, journalists reporting on such issues experience hostility and online harassment. This study investigates which factors drive users’ intentions to engage with journalistic content on gender equality issues and whether the author's gender plays a role in this. An experiment was conducted among German online users (n = 612) with issue ownership and backlash as two central mechanisms to explain gendered perceptions and engagement with articles on gender equalityissues. Results show that men journalists writing about harassment in the workplace were perceived more negatively than women journalists writing about the same issue, which partially also affects engagement. In the case of a less sensitive topic such as women’s leadership, participants’ feminine gender role orientation increased intentions to engage with the article written by a woman, whereas in the case of a sensitive topic such as harassment it fostered backlash toward the woman author. Findings indicate that both backlash theory and role congruity theory account for distinct partially contradicting effects of gender norms and role perceptions on the engagement with articles on gender equality issues.

On the Functional Relationships Among Sexual Orientation, Masculine and Feminine Gender Role Orientation, and Sociosexual Orientation in Young Heterosexual and Lesbian Women

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the mutual interplay of sexual orientation, masculine and feminine gender role orientation, and sociosexual orientation in young women. To ensure cross-sample validity, 323 heterosexual women and 323 lesbian women, ranging in age from 18 to 29 years, were matched for possible confounding variables. Lesbian women scored significantly higher (d = 0.27) on the Desire subscale of the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory, but not on the Behavior (d = 0.07) and Attitude subscales (d = 0.11). Concerning gender role orientation, heterosexual women were characterized by significantly higher scores on the Femininity scale (d = 0.20), whereas lesbian women showed more pronounced masculine gender role orientation (d = 0.16). Structural equation modeling revealed two functionally distinct relationships between sexual orientation and sociosexuality, on the one hand, and between gender role orientation and sociosexuality, on the other hand. Sociosexual desire was exclusively associated with a woman’s sexual orientation with no indication of any mediating effect of gender role orientation. Sociosexual behavior was positively related to a woman’s level of masculine gender role orientation, while sociosexual attitude was positively associated with masculine and negatively associated with feminine gender role orientation, irrespective of sexual orientation.

The Interactions Among Sexual Orientation, Masculine and Feminine Gender Role Orientation, and Facets of Sociosexuality in Young Heterosexual and Homosexual Men

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the functional relationships among sexual orientation, masculine and feminine gender role orientation, and sociosexual orientation in 282 heterosexual and 282 homosexual young men. Homosexual men reported significantly more pronounced sociosexual behavior (d = 0.65) and desire (d = 0.31). Furthermore, homosexual men were characterized by lower masculine (d =-0.26) and higher feminine (d = 0.38) gender role orientation. Latent variable analyses revealed that homosexual men as well as more masculine men, irrespective of their sexual orientation, had more uncommitted sexual relations and more unrestricted sociosexual attitudes. A similar pattern could be identified for sociosexual desire. While homosexual men were more unrestricted in their sociosexual desire, this also held for more feminine men in general. Overall, findings indicated that homosexual orientation is positively associated with sociosexual orientation. In addition, masculine/feminine gender role orientations exert differential influences on the three facets of sociosexuality independent of sexual orientation.

Gender role orientation, thinking style preference and facets of adult paranormality: A mediation analysis.

This study examines the extent to which masculine and feminine gender role orientations predict self-reported anomalous experiences, belief, ability and fear once relevant correlates including biological sex are controlled for. The extent to which rational versus intuitive thinking style preference mediates these relationships is also examined. Path analysis (n = 332) found heightened femininity directly predicts stronger intuitive preference plus more anomalous experiences, belief and fear with, additionally, intuitive preference mediating several gender role-paranormality relationships. By comparison, heightened masculinity directly predicts both thinking styles plus lower anomalous fear. The latter relationship is also shaped by the nature of mediators with (a) more anomalous experiences and belief associated with more anomalous fear and (b) either heightened rationality else more anomalous ability linked to, conversely, less anomalous fear. The extent to which findings support a gender (or social) role account of adult paranormality, together with methodological limitations and ideas for future research, is discussed.

Influences of Femininity and Maternal Relationships on Anxiety and Adjustment in Emerging Adulthood

This study examined how maternal acceptance, care, and overprotection, along with individuals’ feminine gender orientation, impacted anxiety and adjustment among emerging adults. Data were collected via survey packets from 106 college undergraduates at a university in New England and analyzed using multiple regression models. Results indicated that maternal acceptance predicted better psychological adjustment above and beyond the influence of other parenting characteristics and gender role ideology; participants who felt accepted by their mothers growing up were more likely to have positive adjustment. However, with respect to anxiety, results suggested that having a more feminine gender role orientation was more strongly related to increased anxiety than maternal care, overprotection, and acceptance. These findings contribute to the understanding of unique factors that may serve as risk or resilience factors in the psychological well-being of young adults.

The influence of sex and gender-role orientation in the decision to become an entrepreneur

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between sex, gender-role orientation (GRO) and the decision to become an entrepreneur. Because of the fact that gender stereotypes have influences on the preferences and choices of individuals in their career, this research proposes the following objectives: to determine the existence of gender stereotypes that have an influence on human behaviour and specially in this research context; to measure the GRO of each individual; and, finally, to analyze the relationship between the entrepreneurial intention, the sex and the GRO of participants.Design/methodology/approachBased on a questionnaire, this study follows the Bem Sex-Role Inventory methodology to perform an analysis by means of the multiple regression model. This study uses two different samples of 760 students who attend business administration and management undergraduate programs.FindingsThe outcomes show that GRO is a better predictor of the decision to become an entrepreneur than biological sex. Moreover, the results for the whole sample confirm the relationship between masculine and androgynous GRO with entrepreneurial intention, whereas there is also evidence of feminine GRO when we consider only women.Research limitations/implicationsIn line with previous studies that link GRO and entrepreneurship, in this paper, the authors have analyzed business administration students’ view to draw conclusions. The next step is to apply the gender perspective to advance in the analysis of the features that characterize business managers. Likewise, it is interesting to continue the study of gender social construction in entrepreneurship focusing on the discourse used by entrepreneurs or in the media.Practical implicationsThe conclusions of this study are relevant for educators and trainers of future entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurial archetype evolves from masculinity to androgyny. This may help women entrepreneurial intentions. Emphasizing androgynous traits is a way to disable male stereotype domination and threat. This possibility is open, not only for educators who have the ability to improve this perception but also for media, advertising companies and women to push and value female entrepreneurship.Social implicationsThe implicit dynamism in GROs leads to the possibility of changes in workplace views and especially in entrepreneurship as a career option. In this way, it is possible that the general belief that the company owners are men may change. Improving women entrepreneurs’ social visibility, which acts as “role models” may increase female entrepreneur intention. Moreover, emphasis on the androgynous entrepreneur traits in forums at different levels of education, in entrepreneur training activities, will certainly increase the women entrepreneur intention if they perceive they have positively valued traits for entrepreneurship.Originality/valueSelecting 31 items related with the entrepreneur person, this work tests empirically their gender categorization. This procedure allows to measure participants’ GRO following the four gender categories and classify them by sex. Finally, the authors analyze the influence the GRO and sex exert over entrepreneurial intention and provide empirical evidence in favour that GRO is a more robust variable to predict entrepreneurial intention than sex, and androgynous GRO is the most influential category on entrepreneurial intention.

Gender Role Orientation Moderates Effects of Stereotype Activation on Test Performances

Abstract. We investigated the moderation of effects of activated gender stereotypes on the performance of women in tests of different ability domains. The Bem Sex Role Inventory assessed masculinity and femininity. The difference of the masculinity and femininity scores served as a continuous independent variable of gender role orientation. Only participants with feminine gender role orientation suffered from stereotype activation with regard to mental rotation and math performance. In contrast, participants with feminine gender role orientation profited from stereotype activation with regard to emotional sensitivity performance. These results demonstrate a generally higher susceptibility to gender stereotypes of women with feminine gender role orientation. Higher self-relevance of stereotypes was associated with stronger stereotype threat, but also stronger stereotype lift or boost.

Effects of gender role on personal resources and coping with stress

This current study investigates the relationship between the endorsement of masculine and feminine gender role orientation in accordance with Bem's indices and both personal resources and coping with stress. The Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Life Orientation Scale-Revised, the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Personal Competence Scale were completed by 308 employees of a city transport company (123 females and 185 males). Results reveal that androgynous individuals, masculine women and masculine men, possess stronger psychological resources compared with undifferentiated and feminine individuals. and feminine individuals. Moreover, satisfaction with life, femininity, the sense of personal competence and optimism are significant predictors of coping (in descending order of influence). significant predictors of coping (in descending order of influence). Masculinity is a significant positive predictor only in problem-oriented coping. These findings may have implications for the conservation of personal resources as well as for stress management interventions.

Assessing gender role of partner-violent men using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2): Comparing abuser types.

This study investigated traditional masculine gender role differences between male partner abuser types using the Masculinity/Femininity subsection scales of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) Structural Summary. We examined differences between four groups of partner-violent men (borderline, antisocial, psychotic features, and nonpathological partner violent) and one group of nonpartner-violent men on five MMPI-2 subscales: Masculinity-Femininity, Gender Role-Feminine, Gender Role-Masculine, Ego Inflation, and Low Self-esteem. Results indicated that the borderline group reported the most consistent traditional feminine gender role orientation of all the groups, whereas the antisocial group reported the most consistent traditional masculine gender role orientation of all the groups. The psychotic features group reported characteristics associated with both traditional masculinity and traditional feminine gender role making it distinct among all the groups. The nonpathological intimately violent group and the nonpartner-violent group reported no extreme scores when compared with the other three groups. The borderline and antisocial groups reported significantly more exposure to family of origin violence and use of more severe forms of partner abuse than the other three partner abuse groups. Treatment implications are addressed.

Materteral and Avuncular Tendencies in Samoa

Androphilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult males, whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult females. In Independent Samoa, androphilic males, most of whom are effeminate or transgendered, are referred to as fa’afafine, which means “in the manner of a woman.” Previous research has established that fa’afafine report significantly higher avuncular tendencies relative to gynephilic men. We hypothesized that Samoan fa’afafine might adopt feminine gender role orientations with respect to childcare activity. If so, then the fa’afafine’s femininity might be a proximate mechanism for promoting their elevated avuncular tendencies. Our analyses indicated that fa’afafine had significantly higher willingness to assist in the childcare of nieces and nephews than childless women, mothers, or men, none of whom differed from each other on this measure. Thus, femininity does not appear to explain the fa’afafine’s pattern of avuncular tendencies, nor the women’s pattern of materteral (i.e., aunt-like) tendencies, relative to gynephilic men. We discuss how the fa’afafine “third” gender status might influence the expression of their elevated avuncular tendencies.

Sexual dimorphism in second-to-fourth digit ratio and its relation to gender-role orientation in males and females

It has been proposed that high prenatal androgens, low prenatal estrogens, or both may be associated with a low (i.e., masculine) second to fourth digit (2D:4D) ratio. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between 2D:4D ratio and gender-role orientation. Participants were 423 male and 312 female university students ranging in age from 18 to 36 years. After filling in the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), participants’ 2D:4D ratios were measured on both hands. While regression analyses failed to indicate a functional relationship between aspects of gender-role orientation and 2D:4D ratio in the female sample, the BSRI-Femininity score was positively related to the left-hand 2D:4D ratio in males. This finding suggests that a more feminine gender-role orientation in men is associated with lower androgen and/or higher estrogen levels in utero. However, our findings also draw attention to difficulties and inconsistencies in the interpretation of 2D:4D data.

The Impact of Self-Components on Attitudes Toward Sex Among African American Preadolescent Girls: The Moderating Role of Menarche

The purpose of this study was to identify the protective factors that help to prevent attitudes that are tolerant of risky sexual behavior among inner-city, African American, preadolescent girls. It was hypothesized that aspects of the self would significantly predict attitudes toward sexual behavior among this population. It was also expected that the predictive power of the self-components (i.e., ethnic identity, self-concept, and masculine and feminine gender role orientation) would be increased in African American girls following menarche. Two hundred and five African American, preadolescent girls from a northeastern, inner-city community participated in this study. The age for this sample ranged from 10 to 13. Findings of this study lend partial support to the hypotheses. Examination of the predictive relationship between the self-components and attitudes toward sex indicated that self-concept and the masculine and feminine gender role characteristics were significant predictors of attitudes toward sex. In addition, the impact of ethnic identity on functioning was found to be most significant for girls who had experienced menarche.

Exploring gender role identity, value orientation of occupation and sex of respondent in influencing attitudes towards male and female offenders

Objectives. This study extends work by Horn and Hollin (1997) in examining the role of sex, gender role and masculinity/femininity of occupational culture in expression of attitudes towards male and female offenders. Methods. Measures included Melvin, Gramling, and Gardner's (1985) attitudes towards prisoners and the Bem (1974) sex role type inventory (BSRI). Respondents (N= 157) represented masculine (engineering), feminine (nursing) and neutral (radiography) occupations. Results. There were no statistically significant main effects and only one significant interaction: men or women, having feminine gender values, working in a masculine occupation were harsher on women offenders than any other combination. Conclusion. Those with more masculine orientation had similar attitudes towards offenders as respondents having a feminine gender role orientation. The interactional effect suggests an influence of occupational socialization rather than social gender expectations. The evidence for a convergence of attitudes towards male and female offenders remains inconclusive. Possible applications to the criminal justice system are discussed.

Couples' Career Orientation, Gender Role Orientation, and Perceived Equity as Determinants of Marital Power

This study investigates the influence of resource exchanges and of gender role on marital power by comparing dual-career and single-career couples on these variables. On the basis of social exchange theory the 2 types of couples with their differing resource exchange patterns were predicted to differ in marital power. Wives of differing gender role orientations were also predicted to differ in marital power. Results indicated that the 2 types of couples did not differ in perceived power nor in self-reported strategies for influencing spouses. During a conflict task however dual-career partners made significantly more attempts to influence their partners than did single-career partners. The best predictor of influence attempts was found to be the partners influence attempts. While single-career wives perceived themselves as more feminine gender role orientation did not affect marital power. Both types of couples demonstrated an ideology of general equality in marriage although resource exchanges differed by gender rather than by career orientation. Factors unique to each couple were seen as relevant to both resource exchanges and marital power interactions. (authors)

Sex and gender effects in evaluating emergent leaders in small groups

This study investigated the effects of sex and gender role characteristics on emergent leader effectiveness ratings in small task groups. Data were collected on two occasions from 122 subjects in 28 mixed-sex groups performing “sex-neutral” tasks for valued rewards over many weeks of interaction. Results showed that there were neither significant differences between effectiveness evaluations received by male and female leaders, nor among ratings received by leaders with masculine, feminine, or androgynous gender role orientations. However, individuals with androgynous gender role orientations gave significantly higher effectiveness evaluations than individuals with masculine or feminine gender role orientations.