Premium
SEX‐RELATED ATTITUDES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES
Author(s) -
Babladelis Georgia,
Deaux Kay,
Helmreich Robert L.,
Spence Janet T.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
international journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1464-066X
pISSN - 0020-7594
DOI - 10.1080/00207598308247465
Subject(s) - masculinity , ideal (ethics) , femininity , psychology , social psychology , temperament , developmental psychology , gender studies , personality , sociology , political science , psychoanalysis , law
First, differences in attitudes and beliefs towards masculine and feminine roles as well as legal and social facts in the U.S. are presented. Due to women's and civil rights movements those differences are changing now. However, inequalities and barriers for changing are still not completely overcome, often referring to differences in temperament and motivation between men and women which are assumed to be based on biological and/or socializing factors. In the U.S. sample, sex differences emerged on the following variables: Marriage importance (F> M), Masculinity score for self (M > F), Femininity score for self (F > M), Femininity score for ideal man (F > M), Masculinity score for ideal women (F > M) and Competitiveness (M > F). Academic orientation also influences the Educational Aspirations and Expectations (college > technical) and the Masculinity score for the ideal woman (college > technical). Suggestions are given for future research work: finding techniques to decrease sex stereotypes and focusing research on the conditions which were responsible in the past for the traditional masculine and feminine roles in the American Society and how these roles no longer are appropriate.