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Psychology 320: Gender Psychology

Lecture 10

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Invitational Office Hour Invitations, by Student Number for October 8th

11:30-12:30, 3:30-4:30 Kenny 2517

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History of Research on Gender Psychology and Sex Stereotypes

2. What are sex stereotypes?

3. What features characterize female and male stereotypes?

1. What theories and research characterize the history of gender psychology? (continued)

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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:

1. describe major shifts in theory and research on sex and gender between 1982 and present day.

2. define the term “gender-role strain.”

3. describe current theories and measures of gender-role strain.

4. discuss the relationship between gender-role strain and psychological adjustment.

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5. define the term “sex stereotype.”

6. discuss the functions of sex stereotypes.

7. summarize the results of research on the characteristics of sex stereotypes.

8. discuss changes in sex stereotypes across time in North America.

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F. 1982 – Present: Gender as a Social Category (continued)

What theories and research characterize the history of gender psychology? (continued)

2. Social influences on gender (continued).

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The bulk of research on gender-role strain has focused on males. This research has identified several sources of gender-role strain among men:

Physical inadequacy, emotional inexpressiveness, subordination to women, intellectual inferiority, and performance failure.

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Measures of gender-role strain among males include the Gender-Role Conflict Scale (O’Neil et al., 1986) and the Masculine Gender Role Stress Scale

(MGRSS; Eisler & Skidmore, 1987).

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Sample Items from the MGRSS (Eisler & Skidmore, 1987)

Losing in a sports competitionHaving your lover say that she/he is not sexually satisfied.Telling someone that you feel hurt by what she/he said.Admitting that you are afraid of something.Having a female boss.Being married to someone who makes more money than you.Having people say that you are indecisive.Working with people who seem more ambitious than you.Being unable to become sexually aroused when you want.Not making enough money.

Items reflect: physical inadequacy; emotional inexpressiveness; subordination to women; intellectual inferiority; performance failure.

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High gender-role strain scores among males are associated with relatively poor psychological and physical well-being.

Correlations Among MGRSS Scores, Anger, State-Anxiety, and Trait Anxiety (Eilser &

Skidmore, 1987)

Anger State-Anxiety Trait-Anxiety

MGRSS .54** .23* .22*

*p<.05, **p<.01

11Straight Edge

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Although relatively little research has examined gender-role strain among females, one study (Gillespie & Eisler, 1992) identified several sources of gender-role strain among women:

Fear of unemotional relationships, fear of physical unattractiveness, fear of victimization, fear of behaving assertively, fear of not being nurturant.

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Measures of gender-role strain among females include and the Feminine Gender Role Stress Scale

(FGRSS; Gillespie & Eisler, 1992).

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Sample Items from the FGRSS (Gillespie & Eisler, 1992)

Being considered promiscuous.Being pressured for sex when seeking affection from your mate.Being perceived by others as overweight.Being unable to change your appearance to please someone.Hearing a strange noise while you are home alone.Feeling that you are being followed by someone.Trying to be a good parent and excel at work.Supervising older and more experienced employees at work.Returning to work soon after your child is born.A very close friend stops speaking to you.

Items reflect: fear of unemotional relationships; fear of physical unattractiveness; fear of victimization; fear of behaving assertively; fear of not being nurturant.

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High gender-role strain scores among females are associated with relatively poor psychological and physical well-being.

Daily Hassles Depression

FGRSS .43* .31*

Correlations Among FGRSS Scores, Daily Hassles, and Depression (Gillespie & Eisler, 1992)

*p<.01

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What are sex stereotypes?

This individual is an accomplished 20th century political figure who, prior to entering politics, worked as a research chemist and as a tax attorney.

This internationally recognized public figure was known to be a loving and involved parent, and had gained a reputation for always being well coifed and tastefully dressed.

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• Sex stereotypes: Cognitive schemas that reflect beliefs about the shared characteristics of females and the shared characteristics of males. May be positive, negative, or neutral.

• Sex stereotypes are automatically activated, influencing our perceptions of others and our interpretations of their behaviours and responses. Example: Condry & Condry (1976).

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What features characterize female and male stereotypes?

• Broverman et al. (1972):

Recruited American female and male participants of varying sociodemographic backgrounds.

Presented participants with 122 characteristics and asked them to indicate the extent to which each item characterized the average adult female and the

average adult male.

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Identified 41 characteristics (positive and negative) that participants believed differentiate females and males.

Defined a stereotypical characteristic as one for which 75% of both females and males agreed that the characteristic described one sex more than the other.

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Stereotypically male characteristics reflect assertion competence, and rationality.

Stereotypically female characteristics reflect warmth and expressiveness.

Males and females described the stereotypically male characteristics as more socially desirable than the stereotypically female characteristics.

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Scoring Your Questionnaire: ASI

• Reverse score items 3, 6, 7, 13, 18, and 21:

If you selected 5 for the item, change your score on that item to 0.

If you selected 4 for the item, change your score on that item to 1.

If you selected 3 for the item, change your score on that item to 2.

If you selected 2 for the item, change your score on that item to 3.

If you selected 1 for the item, change your score on that item to 4.

If you selected 0 for the item, change your score on that item to 5.

Continued on next slide ….

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Scoring Your Questionnaire: ASI (continued)

• Compute the following averages:

Score 1: Add your scores on items 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21. Divide total by 11.

Score 2: Add your scores on items 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 22. Divide your total by 11.