Gender Role Orientation Research Articles

Childhood Gender Nonconformity and Body Dissatisfaction in Gay and Heterosexual Men.

Although researchers have long hypothesized a relation between gender role orientation (i.e., masculinity and femininity) and body dissatisfaction, findings have been inconsistent. The current study employed a measure of recalled childhood gender nonconformity to examine gender role behaviors in association with body dissatisfaction among an ethnically diverse (76% Caucasian, 2% African American, 8% Asian, and 16.4% Hispanic American) group of predominantly college-aged males of both homosexual (n = 129) and heterosexual (n = 52) orientation. Consistent with past research, gay males reported more body dissatisfaction and recalled more childhood gender atypical behaviors (e.g., disliking athletics, playing with dolls). Group differences in body dissatisfaction, however, disappeared when childhood gender nonconformity was statistically controlled, suggesting childhood atypical gender role behavior may place males at greater risk for adult body dissatisfaction. A within-group analysis also found that a “high feminine” subtype of gay males had greater body dissatisfaction than “less feminine” subtypes had. Results support the assertion that gender role behaviors may contribute to body dissatisfaction among gay males.

Effect of Gender-Role Orientation of Primiparous Mothers on Their Cognitive Appraisals, Coping Strategies, and Mood Postpartum

Cognitive appraisals of mothering as a challenge and threat, coping strategies, affect balance, and depression were studied in 91 married gender-typed, cross-gender typed, and androgynous primiparous middle-class Israeli mothers of infants aged 3–5 months. The results indicated that gender-typed and androgynous women had significantly higher challenge scores and lower threat scores than did cross-gender typed women. With regard to coping strategies, gender-typed and androgynous women used more support-seeking than did cross-gender typed women. Gender-typed women also used less problem-focused strategy and more emotion-focused strategy than did cross-gender typed women. Gender-typed and androgynous women manifested more positive affect balance and less depression than did the cross-gender typed women.

Gender-role orientation and social expectations regarding female adolescents' coping with developmental tasks 1The preparation of this article was facilitated by a grant from the Swiss National Foundation for young researchers, financed by the local research committee of the University of Fribourg to the first author during her stay at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. We are grateful to

This study focuses on the importance of social developmental expectations, assessed as emotional and cognitive evaluations regarding the timing and the gender-role conformity of normative developmental tasks. Two central questions were raised. First, to what degree do the timing and the gender-role conformity affect the adults' expectations? Second, how much does the adults' own gender-role orientation (GRO), classified as traditional vs. liberal, affect their expectations? A 4 (timing modus) × 2 (developmental task) × 2 (gender-role conformity)-factorial design was administered to a sample of 140 adults of both sexes, 20 to 81 years old. Coping in time and with gender-role typical career received the most approval. Typical developmental tasks were more approved by persons with a traditional than with a liberal GRO. However, the evaluation of non-typical developmental tasks was not affected by the GRO. The possibility of a shift in normative expectations toward more liberal, diverse, and self-defined female gender-roles is discussed.

Anti-Homosexual Attitudes in College Students

ABSTRACT Undergraduate college students (N = 173) enrolled in business or psychology classes were studied to investigate (1) predictors of anti-gay and lesbian attitudes and (2) two educational approaches for counteracting negative attitudes toward homosexuality. Students' gender and other demographic characteristics, gender role orientation, gender role attitudes, and personal history variables were employed as independent variables in a multiple regression analysis to predict anti-homosexual attitudes. Results indicated that attitudes were significantly predicted by gender role attitudes, personal acquaintance with a gay man, lesbian, or bisexual person, and religious conviction. Gender, gender role orientation, age, prior participation in a workshop on homosexuality, sexual experience, and class type (psychology or business) were not significant predictors. One-way independent groups analysis of variance indicated no significant differences in level of anti-homosexual attitudes between heterosexual students who had interacted with gay and lesbian students in a one hour classroom panel discussion, viewed a video presentation on homosexuality, or had no classroom intervention.

Gender Role Orientation of Divorced Women as Related to Body Satisfaction and Interest in Work Clothing

This study examined whether divorced women's gender role orientation is related to interest in work clothing and satisfaction with physical appearance. Extremely non-traditional divorced women showed greater concerns about modesty and less interest in looking sexually attractive in their work dress. Divorced women's marital experience was found to be related to body satisfaction and interest in work clothing. The relationships among marital experience, body satisfaction, and interest in work clothing deserve further research to better understand the impact of divorce on one's perception of the self and appearance management behavior. Suggestions are made for practitioner application of the findings.

Gender-role differences in susceptibility to the influence of support availability on depression.

Previous gender-role research on depression has revealed a consistent inverse relationship between masculinity and depression, but a non-significant relationship between femininity and depression. In light of the stronger affiliative needs for feminine individuals, received social support was speculated to moderate the relationship between femininity and depression in the present research. In a longitudinal study of a sample of Hong Kong college students, the relationships among gender-role orientation, received social support, and depression were examined. Consistent with previous findings, masculinity and androgyny were inversely related to depression. Moreover, the present study supplemented previous research by revealing that femininity was related to depression through its interaction with received social support. When the amount of received social support was increased, femininity was associated with a reduction in depression level over time. In contrast, when the amount of received social support was decreased, depression tended to increase with femininity over time. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the gender-role literature.

Exploring the bio-psycho–social approach to premenstrual experiences

A bio-psycho–social approach to the premenstrual syndrome suggests that cyclical hormonal changes are acknowledged and interpreted in light of the expectations and the attitudes acquired in the process of socialization. In this study, attitudes toward menstruation and premenstrual experiences of 229 Israeli students of different ethnic groups and gender role orientations were explored. The findings were consistent with previous reports: attitudes toward menstruation and premenstrual experiences were associated with exposure to premenstrual symptoms in women family members and negative messages during adolescence; respondents of a more traditional background perceived menstruation as relatively debilitating and bothersome but also a natural event and reported more severe experiences. However, models aimed at estimating the causal relationship indicated that attitudes toward menstruation depend on premenstrual experiences rather than predict them. The difficulties of investigating such reciprocal relationships of menstrual attitudes and premenstrual experiences cross-culturally and longitudinally are discussed.

Predictors of career commitment and employment level of tertiary-educated indonesian women

This study investigated the relationships among education, liberal sex-role values, gender-role orientation (masculinity/femininity), career commitment, and employment level for a sample of 302 married Indonesian women. All participants were tertiary educated and currently employed either as teachers in tertiary institutions or as managers in government or private enterprise. Multiple regression analysis revealed that liberal sex-role values and masculinity were significant predictors of career commitment, whereas education was the only variable to significantly predict employment level. Results are compared with previous research on predictors of career commitment and employment level in both Asian and Western cultures. Directions for further research are discussed.

The impact of women's studies courses on college students of the 1990s

This study assessed the personal impact ofwomen's studies courses for college students of the1990s. The sample consisted of 124 women and 41 menenrolled in courses at a medium-sized Midwesternuniversity. Of a sample totaling 165 participants, 138reported that they were white caucasians, whereas 27self-classified as an ethnic minority. Comparisons weremade between the responses of students enrolled in women's studies courses versus those enrolledin content courses that did not emphasize diversityissues. Changes detected were a more progressive genderrole orientation and an increased locus of control. These changes were similarly experienced byboth men and women enrolled in women's studiescourses.

Ambiguous genitalia, gender-identity problems, and sex reassignment

This article discusses general issues with regard to gender-identity problems, sex reassignment, and clinical management in patients with ambiguous genitalia, based on a detailed case history of a patient with penile agenesis who has been followed more than 20 years. After initial uncertainty, the patient began to grow up as a boy, lived from the fourth year of life as a girl and young woman, and lived from late puberty on as a man. Over his lifetime he experienced extensive corrective surgery plus hormonal substitution therapy. Pre-and perinatal hormonal conditions, phenomenology of the genitalia, sex of rearing, timing of sex reassignment and corrective surgery, for example, appear to be important components for the development of gender-role behavior, gender identity, and sexual orientation of intersex patients. Findings and retrospective considerations for this patient suggest the need for careful differential activities in diagnostic workup, approaches to sex assignment and possible reassignment, and the clinical management of patients and families.

Perceived Paternal Acceptance, Paternal Involvement, and Youths' Psychological Adjustment in a Rural, Biracial Southern Community

This study explores whether fathers' involvement by itself is associated with youths' psychological adjustment or whether the relationship between fathers' involvement and youths' psychological adjustment is mediated by children's perceptions of fathers' acceptance-rejection. A secondary purpose is to explore ethnic and class differences in paternal involvement, perceived paternal acceptancerejection, and youths' psychological adjustment. The research is based on a proportional, stratified, random sample of 21 Black and 37 White fathers and their 63 children. Results of multiple regression analyses indicate that only perceived paternal acceptance is significantly related to Black and White children's psychological adjustment. Fathers' involvement by itself is significantly related to neither Black nor White children's psychological adjustment. Finally, results indicate that parenting and psychological adjustment are not related significantly to social class. Key Words: children's psychological adjustment, father involvement, paternal acceptance-rejection. Since the early 1980s, a substantial body of research concerned with father-child relationships has focused on fathers' involvement in child care. For example, scholars have focused on the amount of time fathers spend with their children, fathers' day-to-day supervising of their children, playing with their children, feeding their children, educating their children, and disciplining their children (Ahmeduzzaman & Roopnarine, 1992; Ishii-Kuntz, 1994; Pleck, 1983, 1997; Radin, 1981; Williams & Radin, 1993). Today many scholars argue that fathers must become actively involved in childrearing in order to ensure healthy child development (Biller, 1993; Blankenhorn, 1995; Hawkins, Christiansen, & Pond-Sargent, 1993; McBride & Darragh, 1995; Popenoe, 1996). In support of this argument, researchers have pointed to the positive influence of father involvement on the cognitive and intellectual development of White American children (Radin, 1981; Radin, Williams, & Coggins, 1993), on their academic achievement (Radin, 1981; Radin & Russell, 1983; Williams & Radin, 1993), their ability to empathize and their gender-role orientation (Radin, 1981; Radin & Sagi, 1982), their psychological adjustment (Reuter & Biller, 1973), their internal locus of control (Radin, 1981; Radin & Sagi, 1982), and their competency at problem-solving tasks (Easterbrooks & Goldberg, 1984). On the other hand, paternal noninvolvement (often defined as father absence) has been linked to psychological maladjustment, behavioral disorders, and educational problems (Biller,1981, 1993; Osherson,1986). Some of this research has been criticized because it fails to control for the influence of qualitative aspects of the father-child relationship such as parental warmth and support (Lamb, 1987,1997; Lamb & Oppenheim, 1989; Pleck, 1997). That is, caring for one's children is not necessarily the same thing as caring about them. Indeed, many scholars argue that qualitative factors such as paternal warmth, support, or nurturance are more important for children's development than factors such as the simple amount of time fathers spend in child care (Lamb, 1987, 1997; Lamb & Oppenheim, 1989; Lamb, Pleck, Charnov, & Levine, 1987; Pleck, 1997; Shulman & Collins, 1993). However, despite the fact that most researchers who investigate paternal involvement mention the importance for children's development of qualitative behaviors (Lamb et al., 1987; Radin & Goldsmith, 1985; Radin & Harold-Goldsmith, 1989; Radin & Russell, 1983; Radin et al., 1993; Williams & Radin, 1993; Williams, Radin, & Allegro, 1992), few studies have explored concurrently the direct and indirect effects on youths' functioning of fathers' involvement and fathers' warmth. Consequently, it is not known whether fathers' involvement by itself is associated with youths' psychological adjustment or whether the relationship between fathers' involvement and youths' psychological adjustment is mediated by children's perceptions of fathers' acceptance. …

Preference for sex of first child among women classified as androgynous and nonandrogynous.

This paper examined the relation between gender-role orientation and the preference for sex of firstborn child in 212 pregnant nulliparous women. The Bem Sex-role Inventory was used to assess gender-role orientation of participants. Analysis suggested that gender-role orientation, as measured does not effectively predict the preference for sex of firstborn child.

Gender differences in the performance of individuating acts

Although several studies in social psychology suggest that male participants are more likely than female ones to engage in individuating behaviors, other studies have found no gender differences in willingness to perform individuating acts. This study posits that differences in findings across past investigations may be attributed to the chosen domain of individuating behavior. The content of the Individuation Scale (Maslach, Stapp, & Santee, 1985) is examined in terms of Bakan's (1966) agency‐communion theory to identify two types of individuating behaviors that are consistent with men's gender role orientations (i.e., eliciting conflict, leadership), one type of individuating behavior that is consistent with women's gender role orientations (i.e., personal disclosures), and a gender‐neutral type of individuation (i.e., performance). Responses to the scale are obtained from a sample of business school students (N = 273) and a more heterogeneous mail survey sample (N = 621). A sequence of measurement invariance tests of a 4‐factor correlated model of the individuation measure indicates a high degree of equivalence in the meaning of the measure across gender groups. Subsequent latent‐means structure analysis examines gender differences in willingness to perform the 4 types of individuation behaviors captured in the scale. In the student sample, there were no mean differences in willingness to perform any of the 4 types of individuating acts. However, in the mail survey sample, findings of mean differences supported hypotheses derived from agency‐communion theory: For men as compared with women, the latent means for leadership and eliciting conflict were higher and the latent mean for personal disclosure was lower.

What's gender got to do with it : Perceptions of sexual coercion in a university community

This study examines gender differences in attitudes toward sexual coercion among collegians (n =325: 89.0% Caucasian, 6.8% Afican-American, 3.0% Asian,1.0% Hispanic, and .2% Native American) at a state-supported, midwestern university. Undergraduates (64.0% female and 36.0% male) were queried about the degree of their support for the use of sexual coercion across a range of dating-type encounters which varied by relational familiarity and sexual intensity.Their attitudes toward appearance as a sexual cue and traditional versus non-traditonal gender role orientations were also examined in relationship to these scenerios. The results indicate significant gender differences in attitudes regarding the use of sexual coercion in dating encounters across all situations, and in the interpretation of sexual cues in the context of interpersonal interactions. Gender differences were also found in gender role orientations.However, while the results provide support for the contribution of gender to attitudes toward sexual coercion, they also indicate that sexual semitotics and gender role orientations qualify that relationship; both variables are significant predictors of attitudes toward sexual coercion. The results are discussed in terms of the evidence provided for the role of interpretive schemas in the construction of attitudes toward sexual coercion for both men and women.

Cardiovascular, endocrine, and receptor measures as related to sex and menstrual cycle phase.

The present study was undertaken to elucidate possible mechanisms underlying sex differences in cardiovascular measures or reactivity to challenge. Because there is vastly diverging literature on the issue, we tried to control for endocrine and psychological factors, which might contribute to some of the apparent discrepancies. Blood pressure, heart rate, adrenaline, and noradrenaline in women (N = 24) and men (N = 14) were examined during baseline and challenge (Stroop Test and Cold Face Test). Adrenoceptor density on lymphocytes (beta 2) and platelets (alpha 2) were determined to examine possible sex differences in underlying cardiovascular mechanisms. Gender effects were controlled by assessing gender role orientation and task appraisal. Women were tested during either the follicular (N = 12) or the luteal (N = 12) phase of the menstrual cycle (verified by estradiol, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone). Follicular and luteal phase women did not differ in any parameter except progesterone. We observed sex-related differences in absolute levels of physiological parameters, the male group having higher systolic blood pressure levels, higher adrenaline plasma concentrations, and significantly more alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. Both challenges elicited pronounced cardiovascular and endocrine responses. Men and women did not differ in response magnitude, in task appraisal, or gender role orientation. The assumption that female sex hormones reduce reactivity to challenge is not supported by our data. The frequently reported male/female differences in reactivity may be caused by an interaction of gender and task characteristics.

Relations of Masculinity and Femininity with Personality Dimensions of the Five-Factor Model

The aim of this study was to examine therelations of masculinity and femininity with five-factorpersonality dimensions in Croatian adolescents. Sampleconsisted of 464 high school graduates, all of them Caucasian, and approximately 90% Croatian.Results were analyzed by multiple regression procedureusing masculinity, femininity, gender, and theirinteractions as independent variables. All three maineffects were found to be statistically significant,with no significant interactions. Masculinitycontributes positively to extraversion andconscientiousness, and negatively to neuroticism andagreeableness, while femininity shows strong positive relationshipwith agreeableness, and weak positive relationships withthe other four dimensions. Results are discussed interms of four proposed models of the relation between gender role orientation and psychologicalhealth.

Is Gender or Gender-Role Orientation a Better Predictor of Empathy in Adolescence?.

To assess the relative contribution of genderand gender-role orientation to empathy and itsdevelopment, 8th and 11th grade Israeli adolescentscompleted Davis' empathy scale and Bem's gender-roleorientation inventory, which yields a femininity score anda masculinity score for each participant. Withmasculinity and femininity treated as a within subjectsvariable, masculinity/femininity interacted with grade, such that whereas masculinity in both boys andgirls increased with grade, femininity decreased ingirls and increased in boys. Empathy was unrelated tograde or to masculinity but was related to gender and to femininity. When the contribution ofmasculinity/femininity was covaried, empathy was foundto be unrelated to gender. This pattern was found forthree of the empathy subscales: Perspective Taking, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress, whichwere positively correlated. On the basis of a mediansplit, participants were then classified as Masculine,Feminine, Undifferentiated, or Androgynous. Androgynous individuals did not differ from Feminineindividuals on any of the empathy subscales. Thefindings were discussed in terms of the socialization ofemotions and gender-role orientation.

The effects of psychological gender orientations on the perceived salience of conversational constraints

This study investigated psychological gender differences in the salience of conversational constraints. It was hypothesized that feminine self-orientations would correlate positively with concern for the hearer’s feelings and concern for avoiding negative evaluation by the hearer, and that masculine self-orientations would correlate positively with concern for clarity. Furthermore, we hypothesized that of the various gender-orientation patterns, androgynous individuals (maintaining high masculine as well as high feminine self-identity simultaneously) will have the highest importance ratings of all the constraints added together; i.e., higher than either undifferentiated (low masculine as well as low feminine self-identity simultaneously) or gender-typed individuals (either low masculine-high feminine or high masculine-low feminine). Partkipants consisted of undergraduate students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. After being presented with four conversational situations, participants rated the perceived importance of each constraint in relation to each situation. They then completed the Bem’sSex- Role Inventory to measure their psychological gender orientation. The results were mostly consistent with the hypotheses. Furthermore, the study showed that one’s psychological gender-role orientation is superior to biological sex categories in accounting for the perceived importance of conversational constraints.

Gender Role Orientation as a Correlate of Perceived Health, Health Behavior, and Qualitative Well-Being in Older Women

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationships of gender role orientations (Feminine, Masculine, & Androgynous) with self-perceived health status, health behavior, and qualitative well-being experience in a simple random sample of community-dwelling older women (N = 70). Instruments used were The Bern Sex Role Inventory (Bern, 1974); The Seniors' Lifestyle Inventory (Schwirian, 1991); and The Integration Inventory (Ruffing-Rahal, 1991). Findings revealed the greatest number of significant positive correlations with the Feminine orientation; Androgyny was significantly linked with qualitative well-being and with a positive self-comparison in relation to peers and Masculinity was positively linked with health behavior. Findings are interpreted in light of successful aging issues for older women.

Division of Labor in Student Households: Gender Inequality, Perceived Justice, and Satisfaction

Two studies of households of students sharing flats (Study 1) and cohabitating student couples (Study 2) examined gender inequalities in the division of household labor and related differences in perceived justice of and satisfaction with the division. Results showed that women spent more time and made larger contributions to the majority of tasks in both types of households although male and female students did not differ in time availability and resources contributed to the household. Perceived justice was equally high with both sexes, but women were somewhat less satisfied than men. Both sexes regarded the division of household tasks more just the less it departed from an equal division. Gender role orientation moderated this correlation with men but not with women. Satisfaction ratings were positively correlated with perceived justice and negatively correlated with the relative size of participants' contributions to the household tasks.