Gender Role Ideology Research Articles

Predictors of perceptions toward blaming the victim, excusing the perpetrator, and supporting the victim in intimate partner violence scenarios involving transgender women

ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a health concern that ghas been commonly examined in heterosexual individuals. Perceptions of IPV towards White, cisgender women have further been examined. Due to the high prevalence of IPV towards Black and transgender women, research regarding individuals’ attitudes towards these victims is warranted. Participants were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (N = 198) and randomly assigned to read one of four hypothetical scenarios that depicted either a Black or White cisgender or transgender woman experiencing IPV perpetrated by her male partner. Participants were asked how much they blamed the victim, excused the perpetrator, and supported the victim. A 2 × 2 × 2 MANOVA was conducted to examine differences between participant gender, the hypothetical victim’s race, and the hypothetical victim’s gender identity. There were no main effects or three-way interaction, but there was a statistically significant interaction between victim race and victim gender identity. Multiple regression analyses also were conducted to examine the influence of predictor variables (i.e. racism, gender role ideology, transnegativity, acceptance of IPV myths, and neutralising IPV beliefs) on victim blaming, excusing the perpetrator, and supporting the victim. There were statistically significant findings for the predictor variables on the dependent variables. Implications for the findings and future research directions are discussed.

Gender Representations, Empathy, and Gender-Based Violence Awareness Among Medical Students: A Proposal for a Specific Training Program.

In recent decades, the topic of gender differences has become central to many areas of study, including medicine. The present study explored gender differences in empathy, gender role ideologies, and gender sensitivity among medical students, highlighting significant variations that can inform medical education and training programs. The study involved 155 students (52.1% male; mean age: 22.68±2.48 years) from the Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Dentistry of the University of Salerno in Baronissi, Southern Italy. Participants completed two standardized scales: the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) to assess empathy, and the Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale (N-GAMS) to evaluate gender awareness. Six open-ended questions were also included in the gender-based violence representations. The ANOVA analysis reveals significant differences in scores between male and female students across the N-GAMS scales, indicating a strong role of gender in these variations. These findings suggest the necessity for further research to understand the contributing factors and inform targeted interventions in medical education. Additionally, there are significant differences in compassionate care (Factor 2) and walking in the patient's shoes (Factor 3), highlighting the substantial impact of gender on these latter aspects of empathy. These gender differences have significant implications for medical education. Training programs should be tailored to address the specific needs and characteristics of both male and female students. For example, encouraging male students to maintain their gender sensitivity while challenging traditional gender role ideologies can promote a more inclusive approach to patient care. For female students, fostering confidence in their compassionate care abilities and providing opportunities to express empathy in diverse ways can help overcome societal constraints.

Gender awareness among the undergraduate medical students: A cross sectional study from Hyderabad, India.

Physician trainees need to have robust gender awareness for better professional relationships and patient outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate (UG) medical students (MBBS) of a medical college in Hyderabad, India, in November 2022, to assess their gender sensitivity (GS) and gender-role ideologies. A pretested, structured English questionnaire was used for the study, to compute the Nijmegen Gender Awareness Scale in Medicine (N-GAMS) of the participants. The mean age of the students was 20.51 years, with the majority being women (112, 61.2%). The mean GS score was 3.11, while the mean scores for gender-role ideology towards patients (GRIP) and gender-role ideology towards doctors (GRID) were 2.56 and 2.56, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, a significantly better GS score was seen among medical students from urban backgrounds. Significantly more egalitarian GRIP was found among women, participants from urban backgrounds, and among those whose mothers were employed. Significantly more egalitarian GRID was found among women and participants whose mothers were employed. There was a significant negative, but low, correlation between the GS domain and the GRIP (r = - 0.241; p < 0.001) and GRID (r = - 0.192; p = 0.009) scores. There was a high, positive correlation between GRID and GRIP (r = 0.812; p < 0.001). Gender awareness is relatively low among Indian medical students and lower still among male students. It was higher among women, particularly among those whose mothers were employed and those who were from urban areas.

Abortion Attitudes Across Cultural Contexts

Abstract: We explored between-country and within-country variability in abortion attitudes, using country-level factors (e.g., gender equality) and individual-level factors (e.g., gender role attitudes) as predictors. Participants from Mexico ( N = 215), India ( N = 215), the United States ( N = 215), and the United Kingdom ( N = 206) were recruited via Qualtrics Panels. Regression models and ANOVAs were used to assess whether estimates of gender inequality, gender role attitudes, motherhood norms, belief in big/moralizing gods, and sexual strategy were associated with abortion attitudes. As predicted, individuals living in countries with greater gender inequality, and more restrictive abortion policy, reported more restrictive abortion attitudes and stronger support for banning abortion. Furthermore, individuals who endorsed more traditional gender role ideologies, who reported belief in big/moralizing gods and who used long-term sexual strategies also reported more restrictive abortion attitudes and stronger support for banning abortion. Exploratory analyses highlight how these relationships vary as a function of cultural context. We can conclude that both contextual factors (e.g., local abortion legislation and gender inequality) as well as individual factors (e.g., gender role attitudes and religious/spiritual belief) shape people’s attitudes toward abortion. Implications regarding the bidirectional relationship between attitudes and policy in reproductive health are discussed.

COVID-19 Pandemic, Economic Livelihoods, and the Division of Labor in Rural Communities of Delta and Edo States in Nigeria

The COVID-19 pandemic affected economic, social, health, and political aspects of most global, national, and local populations, including urban and rural communities. Government measures like lockdowns resulted in the closure of schools and businesses, while social distancing preventing group gatherings impacted public and private spaces. Based on key informants’ interviews with 36 participants drawn equally from three senatorial districts of Edo and Delta states of Nigeria, we analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the type of work men and women do and division of household activities, such as cooking, child, and family care. The findings show that traditional gender role ideology (GRI) defines and shapes rural men’s and women’s work, with women more engaged in farming, rearing livestock, and trading while men are engaged in farming, rearing livestock, and carrying out skilled jobs like carpentry, plumbing, and blacksmithing. The lockdown of schools and workplaces resulted in women disproportionately bearing the burden of cooking and caring for children, the elderly, and the sick. A few rural men shared childcare, while women spent more time on housework and childcare activities than in the pre-pandemic period when children were in school for 6–7 h daily. During the pandemic, rural men and women spent more time with the children, such that rural women stayed at home or took children to the farms and marketplaces where possible. Older siblings and the elderly also provided support for women. In conclusion, work and family activities during COVID were, to an extent, difficult to manage as parents had to cope with increasing food insecurity, economic and transportation costs, and social deprivation fostered by social norms, values, and practices that perpetuate gender inequality and marginalization of women.

The positive relationship between female employment and fertility rates: The role of family benefits expenditure and gender-role ideologies

This article interrogates the impacts of different types of family benefits expenditures on the positive relationship between female employment and fertility rates in developed welfare states. It does this by theorizing how these family benefits align with welfare state regimes’ preferences for different normative gender-role ideologies. Rather than treating family benefits as a monolith, this article investigates the impact of disaggregated expenditures in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) family policy database (1. services and in-kind benefits, 2. child-related cash benefits and 3. tax-based financial support for children) on both female employment and fertility rates. This is done using pooled time-series analysis covering the period 2000–9. The analysis yields evidence that expenditure most reflecting a ‘full egalitarian’ gender ideology including service and in-kind benefit provision has the most positive association with female employment and fertility due to an emphasis on defamiliarization. The picture for child-related cash benefits is mixed due to the presence of cash transfer provisions not employment-contingent captured in the indicator. In contrast, tax-based financial support for children harms female employment, reflecting a maternalistic ‘traditional’ ideological orientation, but is positive for fertility rates indicating a moderate pro-natal effect of tax-based financial support for children.

Contextualizing work-family experiences in India: sex, gender role perception and urbanization

PurposeDespite the recognition that contextual factors play a key role in shaping individuals’ work-family (WF) interface, empirical research that simultaneously considers individual, roles and contextual factors is scarce. Drawing on the pyramid model of work-home interface, we delve into the intersection among sex, gender role ideology (GRI) and urbanization (URB) in relation to WF conflict and enrichment in India. Specifically, we explored whether and how sex (male vs female), GRI (traditional vs egalitarian) and URB (big vs small city) interact to predict WF conflict and WF enrichment.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 586 full-time employees working in both more and less urbanized cities in India. Moderation analyses were utilized to study the interaction effects on WF conflict and enrichment.FindingsResults indicate that GRI is a stronger driver of WF experiences, especially WF enrichment, for women regardless of location. The study contributes to the understanding of WF experiences in India and addresses the complexity of WF experiences, especially with respect to sex and gender.Originality/valueOur study offers a nuanced understanding of WF experiences in India by integrating micro- to macro-level antecedents, thereby addressing the complexity of WF experiences. While a lot of research explains sex and gender differences in WF experiences, our study highlights how these experiences vary with the degree of URB.

Unveiling silenced narratives: a scoping review on sexual function challenges in migrant and refugee women.

Of the approximately 281 million international migrants and 35.3 million refugees around the world, almost half are women. These individuals experience significant stress due to language barriers, financial difficulties, poor living and working conditions, and discrimination. Consequently, concerns related to sexuality may receive lower priority despite their significant impact on overall well-being. This scoping review aims to review the sexual function of migrant and refugee women and identify any knowledge gaps in the field. We conducted a scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). We searched online databases-Medline, Embase, Emcare, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane-and gray literature, with no restrictions on year of publication, language, or study design. Utilizing Covidence software, 2 authors screened and extracted data from studies based on predetermined eligibility criteria. A thematic analysis was executed, and findings were reported descriptively. Initially, we identified 5615 studies; after screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, we ultimately included 12 studies. The review identified a limited body of research with various unvalidated tools. Moreover, these studies yielded heterogeneous results: migrant women reported less sexual knowledge, experience, and liberal attitudes, resulting in lower rates of desire and arousal as compared with nonmigrants. Some studies showed lower sexual function in migrants, while others found no significant differences between migrants and nonmigrants. The assimilation into Western cultures may influence migrants' sexual attitudes and behaviors. Factors such as education and gender role ideology can also significantly affect sexual function among migrant populations. This review underscores the limitations in previous sexual function research, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive approach. It also offers valuable insights for codesigning programs to address sexual dysfunction among migrant and refugee women, improving their well-being. Future research should prioritize neglected populations and create culturally sensitive interventions to reduce sexual health disparities in migrants.

Gender awareness among general practitioners in France: a cross sectional study using the Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale (N-GAMS)

Gender is a key determinant of health and healthcare use. The question of whether physicians are aware of gender issues is important to avoid gender bias in medical practice. This study aimed to validate the Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale (N-GAMS) in a representative population of French general practitioners (GPs) and to analyze their gender sensitivity and the presence of gender stereotypes among them. The N-GAMS, already validated in medical students, measures gender awareness through 3 subscores: gender sensitivity (GS) and gender-role ideology towards patients (GRIP) and doctors (GRID) (gender stereotypes). After translation into French, it was distributed to 900 GPs. The scale was validated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Psychometric properties were tested. Multivariate linear regressions were conducted to explore the associations between GPs’ characteristics and N-GAMS subscores. EFA identified 3 meaningful factors consistent with prior theory. Subscores exhibited good internal consistency. The main findings were that GRIP was significantly higher in older physicians, in male physicians, among those who less involved their patients in decisions, and those who were not training supervisors. For GRID, results were quite similar to those of GRIP. GS was significantly higher for physicians working in health centres or medical homes and for those with gynecological practices but lower when they less involved patients in medical decisions. This study suggests that it is necessary to teach gender issues not only in medical schools but also as part of continuing medical education.

AFLW and the gender gap: an analysis of public attitudes towards the Women’s Australian Football League

ABSTRACT Objective The introduction of the Women’s Australian Football League (AFLW) has highlighted the inequality faced by women football players (e.g., season length), with the consumerism and fanbase of the women’s AFL lacking comparatively with the men’s league. The paucity of research into the AFLW and attitudes towards women’s sport, limits our understanding of the predictors of these attitudes. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the factors that may influence the development of attitudes towards the AFLW. Method Data were collected from a community sample (N = 171), to evaluate attitudes towards both AFLW consumerism, and the endorsement of gender equality within the AFL. Results Results revealed that basic demographic factors were influential in attitude development (i.e., age, gender), however the most prominent predictor of attitudes towards the AFLW was gender role ideology, suggesting that beliefs about gender roles may influence anti-AFLW attitudes. Conclusions The findings reflect an ongoing perception of sport as a masculine space, and as such, a need to adjust marketing approaches to frame the AFLW in a manner that encourages consumer behaviour. Future research directions are discussed.

A survey of undergraduate medical students' gender awareness and bias: the Newfoundland and Labrador perspective.

Female physicians and patients experience gender bias in healthcare. The purpose of this research is to explore medical students' gender bias toward physicians and patients and whether their bias varies by gender. We surveyed medical students at Memorial University between November 2020 and April 2021. We recruited participants through Facebook, email, and e-posters. We collected demographic information, including gender and class year. We used the Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale to measure gender sensitivity, gender role ideology toward patients, and gender role ideology toward doctors. We analyzed the data using averages and t-tests. Mean gender sensitivity scores were 4/5 indicating high gender sensitivity. Gender role ideology toward doctors mean scores were 2/5 indicating that students did not hold strong stereotypical views toward doctors. Although male students scored higher than female students (p<.05), mean scores for gender role ideology toward patients were low for both male and female students ( <2), indicating low stereotyping toward patients. We found that students held largely non-biased ideologies surrounding gender in medicine and that female students were even less biased than male students for gender role ideology toward patients.

Gender Role Ideology, Ambivalent Sexism, and Homonegativity as Predictors of Individuals’ Attitudes Toward Stalking and Its Victims

ABSTRACT Stalking is a public health concern that affects both heterosexual and non-heterosexual individuals. Consequences to victims include being blamed for their stalking victimization and having their victimization minimized by others. However, less research has been conducted regarding attitudes toward non-heterosexual stalking victims and the fear individuals feel for stalking victims in general. Therefore, using a scenario-based approach, we examined how participants blamed stalking victims, minimized stalking incidents, and felt subjective fear for heterosexual and non-heterosexual stalking victims in hypothetical scenarios. Participants were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk for two separate research studies. In Study 1, participants read about heterosexual stalking situations, and in Study 2, participants read about same-gender stalking situations. Participants responded to dependent variable questionnaires that assessed blame, minimization, and subjective fear. Participants also responded to predictor variables questionnaires that assessed gender role ideology, ambivalent sexism, attitudes toward lesbian women, and attitudes toward gay men. MANOVAs and simultaneous multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the hypotheses. There were no main effects of participant gender or hypothetical scenarios for either of the two research studies regarding blame, minimization, or subjective fear. However, gender role ideology, ambivalent sexism, and homonegativity were significant predictors of participants’ attitudes toward stalking. Explanation for the current studies’ findings and implications of these findings were discussed.

Misperception of peer beliefs reinforces inequitable gender norms among Tanzanian men.

Gender role ideology, i.e. beliefs about how genders should behave, is shaped by social learning. Accordingly, if perceptions about the beliefs of others are inaccurate this may impact trajectories of cultural change. Consistent with this premise, recent studies report evidence of a tendency to overestimate peer support for inequitable gender norms, especially among men, and that correcting apparent 'norm misperception' promotes transitions to relatively egalitarian beliefs. However, supporting evidence largely relies on self-report measures vulnerable to social desirability bias. Consequently, observed patterns may reflect researcher measurement error rather than participant misperception. Addressing this shortcoming, we examine men's gender role ideology using both conventional self-reported and a novel wife-reported measure of men's beliefs in an urbanising community in Tanzania. We confirm that participants overestimate peer support for gender inequity. However, the latter measure, which we argue more accurately captures men's true beliefs, implies that this tendency is relatively modest in magnitude and scope. Overestimation was most pronounced among men holding relatively inequitable beliefs, consistent with misperception of peer beliefs reinforcing inequitable norms. Furthermore, older and poorly educated men overestimated peer support for gender inequity the most, suggesting that outdated and limited social information contribute to norm misperception in this context.

It Was Not the Best Option: Family-Role Overload and Regret about Sacrificing Work for the Family

We aimed to analyze whether women with higher family-role overload regret sacrificing their professional work to fulfill family responsibilities better after analyzing the costs of making the work sacrifice. In Study 1, participants (n = 218 women and men) self-reported their family-role overload, rated the costs of sacrificing their work for their family, and rated the extent to which they experienced regret about this sacrifice. In Study 2, participants (n = 285 women) reported their gender role ideology and responded to the same measures as in Study 1. In Study 3, participants (n = 180 women) reported their ideology and their partner’s perceived gender role ideology and completed the same procedure as in Study 1. The main findings showed that women (but not men) with higher family-role overload perceived more costs of sacrificing their work for the family, which were associated with greater regret about making the sacrifice. Additionally, women who perceived a traditional ideology in their partner reported more family-role overload, which was associated with greater costs of making the work sacrifice, which in turn was related to greater experienced regret. These findings indicate that although women make these sacrifices based on societal expectations in accordance with their gender role, they could not have obtained the results they could have expected and consequently could regret risking their professional progress for the family. In addition, they suggest that partner involvement is also necessary to overcome this invisible gender inequality.

#178 : Sexual Function in Women from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds

Background and Aims: Women from migrant and refugee backgrounds are poorly studied when it comes to sexual function. These women face multiple barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services, including language barriers, socio-cultural beliefs, limited socioeconomic resources, and inadequate knowledge. This study conducted a scoping review of existing literature on sexual function and related knowledge in this population. Methods: This scoping review adhered to the 2020 PRISMA guidelines and systematically gathered information from online databases such as Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. Without applying any search limitations, the review included all studies that examined the sexual function of migrant and refugee women. Based on the eligibility criteria, two authors independently screened and extracted data from the included studies using the Covidence software. Afterwards, descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted. Results: The findings suggest that the sexual function status of migrants is a complex issue influenced by multiple factors, yet it remains understudied, with the majority of research focusing on sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Studies have shown that migrants may experience higher levels of sexual dysfunction; they tend to have less sexual knowledge, liberal attitudes, and lower rates of desire, arousal, and pleasure compared to non-migrant women. Additionally, factors such as acculturation, education, gender role ideology, and satisfaction with partner relationships can impact their sexual function. Conclusions: This study underscores the limitations of research on sexual function in migrants. It emphasises the need for culturally sensitive counselling and psychosocially focused programs aimed at addressing the sexual dysfunction inequities experienced by migrant and refugee women and catering to their unique needs in SRH health care sessions. Future research should focus on neglected populations and tailor effective care to enhance their sexual function and overall well-being.

Under what conditions do gender differences exist in power and achievement values? The moderating role of gender ideology

AbstractPrevious studies revealed differences between men and women in value priorities. It has been asserted that men do inherently attribute more importance than women to power and achievement values. Our study brings a sociocultural lens into account employing gender ideology as a moderator of the gender differences in these values. Specifically, we hypothesized that internalization and endorsement of gender role ideology shape gender differences in power and achievement values. We focused on two components of gender ideology as moderators of the gender differences in values: primacy of the breadwinner role, and acceptance of male privilege. We used data from the World Values Survey wave six (89,565 participants from 60 countries). Results indicated that gender ideology moderated the relationship between gender and the endorsement of achievement and power values. Specifically, the relationship between gender and achievement was significantly moderated by acceptance of male privilege, but not of primacy of the breadwinner role. In addition, the association between gender and power was significantly moderated by primacy of the breadwinner role, but not by acceptance of male privilege. In other words, when participants endorse egalitarian gender ideologies, gender differences in power and achievement disappear or even reverse. We contrast previous perspectives assuming inherent gender differences in human values and argue that such differences are related to beliefs in gendered separate spheres.

Turkish Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of Nıjmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale: Assessment of Validity and Relıability

Objective: Gender affects how we serve and receive medical care. World Health Organization evaluates gender as a social determinant of health. However, a knowledge gap exists among physicians. The present study aims to adapt Nijmegen Gender in Medicine Awareness Scale (N-GAMS) in the Turkish language and define Turkish medical students’ gender awareness level and related factors.&#x0D; Methods: Two hundred seventy-two medical students participated. The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy- Student Version, and N-GAMS were utilized to collect data; in addition to sociodemographic form.&#x0D; Results: Confirmatory factor analysis repeated a three-factor structure, as previously demonstrated. The Cronbach’s alpha of the Turkish N-GAMS was 0.887. Criteria-related validity analysis resulted as follows: Gender sensitivity was associated with higher empathy and higher benevolent sexism. Gender role ideology toward patients scores were related to the male sex, lower empathy, and higher levels of sexist attitudes regarding both hostile and benevolent types. Gender role ideology toward doctors was higher in male students, in those with lower empathy, and in ambivalent sexism. Turkish medical students in our sample were less gender-sensitive than their European counterparts.&#x0D; Conclusion: N-GAMS is valid and reliable among Turkish medical students. There is a need for training in gender awareness in medical faculties.

When mothers do it all: gender-role norms, women’s employment, and fertility intentions in post-industrial societies

Abstract Post-industrial countries with high rates of female labour force participation have generally had low fertility rates, but recent studies demonstrate that this is no longer the case. This has generated increased attention to how greater gender equality in the private sphere of the household may contribute to a positive relationship between women’s employment rates and fertility. Building on recent scholarship demonstrating the multidimensionality of gender-role attitudes, we argue that conversely, the prevalence of a gender-role ideology that supports women’s employment but places greater priority on their role as caregivers may depress the higher-order fertility intentions of working mothers. Using data from 25 European countries, we find that this type of gender-role ideology (egalitarian familism) moderates the relationship between mothers’ full-time employment and their intention to have a second child. This holds even after accounting for key features of the policy environment that are likely to mitigate work–family conflict. The analysis suggests that conflicting normative expectations for women’s work and family roles tend to dampen working mothers’ second-order fertility intentions, independent of work–family reconciliation policies.

Formulating the discourse of pro-work conservatism: a critical discourse analysis of Weibo posts in response to the implementation of the three-child policy

ABSTRACT Although the ideology of pro-work conservatism prevails in East Asia, scholars have largely overlooked its discursive construction in media communication from a linguistic perspective. This paper examines the discursive construction of pro-work conservatism in 3,000 Weibo posts with the most “likes” in response to China’s implementation of the three-child policy. Using the sociosemantic approach as an analytic framework, the paper finds that three dominant themes underpin the discourse of pro-work conservatism: women’s sacrifice in the labour market, the high cost of raising children, and gender-essentialist norms. This discourse is articulated in the posts via a number of discursive strategies, including authorization, morality, and rationalisation. This paper sheds light on the influence of the one-child policy and the awakening of feminist consciousness in the new era and highlights the implications of language use in shaping gender-role ideologies to influence public perception.

Gender sensitivity and experiences of gender in an Australian nursing cohort: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study

This study aimed to measure gender sensitivity and collect experiences of gender by Monash University nursing students. Domestic students ‘Gender Role Ideology of Health Professionals’ subscale scores were lower, demonstrating less stereotypical views of health professionals. Students requested diverse gender-related content and experiences, and more inclusive expression of gendered language and pronouns. Implementing student recommendations would develop a more inclusive healthcare workforce and ensure a safer learning environment for all students.