Gender Role Conformity Research Articles

Understanding the Impact of Context on Ambition: Gender Role Conformity Negatively Influences Adolescent Boys’ Ambition Scores in an Educational Context

We investigate how context might influence adolescent boys’ and girls’ ambition and the impact of gender role conformity and social status. Adolescent participants ( N = 270) reported their ambition in one of three experimentally manipulated contexts: future education, future work, or a control. Boys experienced a significant negative drop in ambition in a future education context versus control. There was no difference for girls. Gender role conformity moderated the effects for boys such that the more conform, the less ambitious in an educational context. There was no moderating effect for girls. Social status had no moderating effect. Explanations are discussed, including how negative academic gender role stereotypes may affect boys’ ambition and the importance of addressing boys’ cultures at school.

Service with a Smile: Gender Role Conformity, Servant Leadership, and Followership

Service with a Smile: Gender Role Conformity, Servant Leadership, and Followership

Acting gender: Actors’ experiences of gender role conformity and hopes for their characters.

Acting gender: Actors’ experiences of gender role conformity and hopes for their characters.

Does character's gender matter in inspirational brand story? Exploring the moderating effect of gender role conformity

AbstractInspirational brand story is a widely used marketing strategy in brand building. However, few empirical studies have investigated the underlying mechanism and boundary conditions of a successful brand story strategy. The current study examined the influence of lead character's gender in inspirational brand story on consumer–brand identification based on the social identity theory, benevolent sexism, and gender schema theory. Results from two experiments demonstrated that the gender of inspirational brand stories has an impact on consumer brand identity through the mediation effect of sympathy. Compared with a male character, a female character elicits viewers' sympathy, which results in high brand identification. Such a gender effect is stronger when there is a high level of perceived gender role conformity. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

The mediating role of sexually selected traits in the association of androgynous tendencies with lower sexual activeness among Chinese youths.

Androgynous tendencies and persistently low fertility rates have been observed in many countries, causing major social concerns. The theory of sexual selection suggests a possible mechanism between androgyny and decreased sexual activeness, as masculinity and femininity constitute an important aspect of reproductive strategies. This theory has also been proven by evolutionary and societal evidence. Therefore, we investigate the association between masculinity and femininity with sexual activeness, as well as the influence of gender-role conformity on the frequency of sexual intercourse through sexually selected traits among 42,492 Chinese youths. Sexual activeness was measured using sexual attitudes, experience, behaviors, and pleasure. Mediation analysis was employed to investigate the effects of sexually selected traits on the association between masculinity and femininity with sexual activeness, and gender-role conformity with the frequency of sexual intercourse. Low sexual activeness was found to be associated with low gender-role conformity. Our findings also suggest that physical attractiveness, sexual motivation, and interpersonal relationships may mediate the association between sexual activeness and gender-role conformity, supporting the males-compete/females-choose model.

Gender differences in meat consumption and openness to vegetarianism

Understanding gender differences in meat consumption can help strengthen efforts to improve the sustainability of eating patterns. Compared to women, men eat more meat and are less open to becoming vegetarian. Simply considering between-gender differences, however, may overlook meaningful within-gender heterogeneity in how masculine and feminine identities associate with eating behavior. Distinguishing between specific types of meat is also important, given that some meats (e.g., beef) pose greater challenges to sustainability than do other meats. Through a highly powered, preregistered study (N = 1706), we investigated the predictive value of traditional gender role conformity and gender identity centrality for meat consumption frequency and openness to becoming vegetarian. Greater conformity to traditional gender roles predicted more frequent consumption of beef and chicken and lower openness to vegetarianism among men but offered no predictive value among women. No effects were observed for pork or fish consumption. Among women, greater traditional gender role conformity and gender identity centrality were associated with openness to becoming vegetarian for health reasons. Among men, lower traditional gender role conformity was associated with openness to becoming vegetarian for environmental reasons. These findings suggest that understanding meat consumption calls for greater distinctions between specific types of meat as well as deeper consideration of within-gender heterogeneity.

Can a pandemic make people more socially conservative? Political ideology, gender roles, and the case of COVID-19.

The first months of 2020 rapidly threw people into a period of societal turmoil and pathogen threat with the COVID‐19 pandemic. By promoting epistemic and existential motivational processes and activating people's behavioral immune systems, this pandemic may have changed social and political attitudes. The current research specifically asked the following question: As COVID‐19 became pronounced in the United States during the pandemic's emergence, did people living there become more socially conservative? We present a repeated‐measures study (N = 695) that assessed political ideology, gender role conformity, and gender stereotypes among U.S. adults before (January 25–26, 2020) versus during (March 19–April 2, 2020) the pandemic. During the pandemic, participants reported conforming more strongly to traditional gender roles and believing more strongly in traditional gender stereotypes than they did before the pandemic. Political ideology remained constant over time. These findings suggest that a pandemic may promote the preference for traditional gender roles.

Understanding the Meaning of Conformity to Feminine Norms in Lifestyle Habits and Health: A Cluster Analysis.

Background: Gender roles impact different spheres of life and lead women to behavioral patterns and lifestyle habits associated with femininity, generating important differences between men and women in health. The present study analyzed relationships between conformity to the feminine norms and different lifestyle indicators: Educational level, marital status, alcohol consumption, tobacco consumption, sleeping hours, social support, and physical activity. Additionally, cluster analysis was developed in order to identify different patterns of gender role conformity. Methods: The sample was made up of 347 women age 18–70 from Spain. Data collection was conducted during 2014. Results: Multiple logistic regression analyses produced odds ratios showing that women with lower feminine role conformity were more likely to use tobacco and alcohol, but less likely to share their lives with someone. Cluster analysis found four different profiles of gender role conformity related to different patterns of alcohol consumption and marital status. Conclusions: Conformity to feminine norms was associated with basic affective conditions such as sharing life with others and with alcohol and tobacco consumption, but not with physical activity, social support, and sleep duration. Whereas tobacco and alcohol use have important health implications, public health systems should pay attention to gender-related variables in order to design and implement specific prevention programs.

Gender (Conformity) Matters: Cross-Dimensional and Cross-Modal Associations in Sexual Orientation Perception

Although sexual orientation (SO) is perceptually ambiguous, people are able to detect it with above-chance accuracy from faces and, sometimes, from voices. Despite a multitude of “gaydar” studies, it is unclear (1) whether vocal or facial signals carry more SO information, (2) whether raters refer to target’s SO instead of gender-role conformity when forming SO impressions, and (3) whether there are any differences for female and male targets. We collected face photographs, voice recordings, and self-reported gender-role conformity of 18 lesbian/gay and straight female and male target persons each. Study 1 (rating of SO) showed that faces led to higher accuracies than voices, which was especially true for female targets. Study 2 (rating of gender-role conformity) showed that the link between self-reported and attributed SO was mediated by self-reported and attributed gender-role conformity. Results support the centrality of gender-role conformity, more than that of SO, in impression formation.

Heterosexual Self-Presentation and Other Individual- and Community-Based Correlates of HIV testing among Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men.

From 2010 to 2014, HIV diagnoses among Latino men who have sex with other men (LMSM) have increased by 14%, while diagnoses declined by 11% among white, non-Latino MSM. This health disparity is in part due to exposure to other LMSM with undiagnosed HIV infections. To effectively engage LMSM who are unaware of their serostatus, profiles of men differing in theorized determinants of HIV testing must be considered. In this retrospective study, we examined data from 546 LMSM to investigate whether hypothesized individual- (traditional masculine gender role conformity; sexual identity development status; alcohol and illicit drug use; sexual risk behaviors; perceived HIV susceptibility; and HIV stigma) and community-based (HIV prevention programming, access to health care, social support, neighborhood collective efficacy) factors were associated with differences in HIV testing. Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of men, and subsequent analyses examined whether profiles exhibited differential proportions of HIV testing. Four latent profiles were observed. One profile (50.3% tested) differed markedly from all other profiles (5.1 to 11% tested) in HIV testing. Characteristics of participants in this unique profile included reporting lower levels of heterosexual self-presentation, sexual identity uncertainty (and high levels of sexual identity commitment), condom use, HIV stigma, education, and perceived HIV susceptibility than all other profiles. Findings could improve HIV testing rates among LMSM by specifying ways in which public health advertisements/campaigns and community-based testing outreach efforts could be tailored to men most at-risk for transmitting HIV due to unknown serostatus.

The gender conformity conundrum: The effects of irrelevant gender norms on public conformity

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this experiment was to examine influences of gender norms on gender-role conformity. This series of two studies tests whether females or males are more likely to conform to public norms. To test this, we attached men’s and women’s bathroom-type signs to exit doors from a café at a private academic institution in upstate New York. We then unobtrusively observed whether individuals chose to exit through the door matching their gender. We found that, in both studies, males conformed more to their gender-role sign than did females. This suggests that conformity to certain gender and social norms has greater influence on males, and that these norms have a substantial power over decisions in social settings. In addition, it may be that some males conform to these norms to avoid being represented or perceived as female and/or a lower-power member of society.

Perceptions of Sexual Script Deviation in Women and Men.

Traditional sexual scripts are characterized by a gendered power inequality (male dominance vs. female submission) (Sanchez, Fetterolf, & Rudman, 2012). Although gender differences in a variety of sexual behaviors have been decreasing, research into sexual scripts provides some support for the existence of traditional sexual scripts adherence. Study 1a and 1b focused on men's evaluations of sexual script deviation in women (i.e., sexually assertive behavior) and the possible disapproval of these behaviors (backlash effects). Participants (381 and 382 self-identified heterosexual men) were presented with a randomly assigned vignette describing a hypothetical sexual scenario in which a woman behaved either sexually assertive or sexually timid. Both studies indicated that men to some extent expressed disapproval of sexually assertive women. With the aim to assess if backlash effects were due to women's sexual script deviation or if there was an overall negative evaluation of sexually assertive behavior irrespective of the target's gender, in Study 2 we focused on the perception of sexually assertive behavior in both women and men (N = 268). Although we found that gender role conformity was held for women, but not for men, the results suggest that the negative evaluation of sexual assertiveness was not due to script deviation, but that there is an overall conservative attitude toward sexually assertive behavior. Our study provides some insight into the motives of traditional sexual script adherence particularly for women.

On the Origin of Beliefs about the Sexual Orientation and Gender-role Development of Children Raised by Gay-male and Heterosexual Parents: An Italian Study

In three studies, heterosexual participants were presented with descriptions of heterosexual and gay-male parents. Importantly, the level of gender-role conformity of the gay-male parents was experimentally manipulated, resulting in their level of gender-role conformity ranging from high to low. Compared to the son of a heterosexual couple, the son of all gay-male couples had a lower expected likelihood of developing as heterosexual. This result was independent of the level of gender-role conformity of the gay-male couples (study 1–3). The beliefs about the gender-role development of the son, in terms of anticipated masculinity (study 1), gender stereotyping (study 2), and affective adjustment (study 3), mapped onto the level of gender-role conformity of the parents, regardless of their sexual orientation. Also, heterosexual parents were consistently judged more positively than gay-male parents, independently of their level of gender-role conformity (study 1–3). Results were discussed within the theoretical framework of stereotypes about gay-male parenting.

Gender-atypical personality or sexual behavior: What is disgusting about male homosexuality?

ABSTRACTResearch consistently finds that homosexuality elicits strong feelings of disgust, but the reasons remain unclear. In the current research, we investigate responses to gay men who violate social norms governing the expression of gender and sexuality. Two hundred forty-three college undergraduates read a vignette about a gay male college student whose personality traits (masculine, feminine, or neutral) and sexual behavior (active vs. passive) varied and reported their affective responses to and cognitive appraisals of the target. The gay target who displayed a feminine personality elicited more disgust and was perceived as lower in gender role conformity than a gay man who displayed a masculine personality. Similarly, the gay target who assumed a passive sex role elicited more disgust and was perceived as lower in gender role conformity than a gay man who assumed an active sex role. The sexual behavior/disgust relationship was mediated by perceived gender role conformity.

Exploring the origins of blame: The role of empathy and gender role conformity in blaming victims of sexual assault.

Exploring the origins of blame: The role of empathy and gender role conformity in blaming victims of sexual assault.

Stereotype threat, gender-role conformity, and New Zealand adolescent males in choirs

Choirs have been stereotypically gendered feminine in many national contexts. When gender-role conformity has been expected in such settings, male choral participation and performance has often been rendered gender incongruent and consequently threatening. Gender stereotype threat was explored as a factor which might instigate a potentially negative experience for adolescent males in New Zealand school choirs. The findings of the present study (a quasi-experiment conducted in a real-world setting across several cultural contexts) revealed that the performance of adolescent males in choirs was negatively affected by gender stereotype threat. Moreover, such threat was triggered by culturally-specific concerns about perceived peer expectations of gender-role conformity. The study also provided impetus to further explore the idea that stereotype threat could spill over from one domain to another. The findings add to the body of stereotype threat literature, and underline the important relationship between adolescent beliefs about gender-role conformity and music education.

Employment status, gender and health in Spanish women

ABSTRACTThe present study analyzed relationships between employment status, gender role conformity, and health among adult Spanish women from a biopsychosocial approach. We first examined the potential relationship between employment status and conformity to feminine norms (CFNI), second, the relationship between employment status and general and psychological health, and finally, the relationship between CFNI and general and psychological health. Unemployed women (n = 103), employed women (n = 144), and full-time homemakers (n = 100) aged 18–70 yr completed a survey, including measures of psychological health (GHQ-12), general health (self-rated health), and CFNI. Data collection was conducted during 2014. Multiple logistic regression analyses produced odds ratios (OR) and 95 petrcent confidence intervals (CI) that showed that full-time homemakers were more likely to show higher levels of feminine norms conformity (OR = 2.04; 95 percent CI = 1.13–3.69; p = .017), although these differences were no longer significant when controlled for educational level. Unemployed women (OR = 3.27; 95 percent CI = 1.87–5.73; p < .001) and women who presented greater CFNI (OR = 1.56; 95 percent CI = 1.01–2.40; p = .044) were more likely to show psychological morbidity. Public health institutions should pay attention to the relevance of employment status and gender roles, given the relation of these factors to women’s health.

Policy considerations

Given the number of overlapping and inter-connected drivers existing that shape gender gaps, a multifaceted and comprehensive framework is required to address the root causes that are in line with international labour standards. With this in mind, Chapter 3 outlines a series of policy recommendations in an effort to improve labour market outcomes among women, shaped around (i) reshaping gender role conformity and personal preferences; (ii) addressing socio-economic constraints; and (iii) raising equality in labour market conditions.

Swedish women's perceptions of and conformity to feminine norms.

The relatively high gender equality in the Swedish society is likely to exert an influence on gender role construction. Hence, the present research aimed to investigate Swedish women's perceptions of and conformity to feminine norms. A mixed methods approach with two studies was used. In Study 1, young Swedish women's gender role conformity, as measured by the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory 45 (CFNI-45), was compared to the results from previously published studies in Canada, the United States, and Slovakia. Overall, Swedish women displayed less conformity than their foreign counterparts, with the largest difference on the subscale Sexual fidelity. In Study 2, focus group interviews with young Swedish women added a more complex picture of feminine norms in the Swedish society. For instance the results indicated that Swedish women, while living in a society with a strong gender equality discourse, are torn between the perceived need to invest in their appearances and the risk of being viewed as non-equal when doing so. In sum, despite the fact that traditional gender roles are less pronounced in Sweden, gender role conformity is still a pressing issue. Since attending to the potential roles of feminine norms in women's lives previously has been proposed to be useful in counseling and therapeutic work, the present research also offers valuable information for both researchers and practitioners. [Correction added on 5 May 2017, after first online publication in April 2017: An incorrect Abstract was inadvertently captured in the published article and has been corrected in this current version.].

Extending the masculinity hypothesis: An investigation of gender role conformity, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in young heterosexual men.

Gender role norms may play a crucial role in the male experience of eating disorders. The masculinity hypothesis proposes that conformity to masculine gender roles including dominance, confidence, sexual success, and physical and emotional self-control places men at risk for muscularity-oriented bod