Sex-role stereotypes and Androgyny

What is sex?

A person’s biological status as either male or female, including chromosomes, hormones and anatomy

What is gender?

The psychological and cultural differences between males and females including attitudes, behaviours and social roles.

What is the distinct difference between sex and gender?

Sex is innate (the result of nature) and cannot be changed, whereas gender is an assigned social construct

What are sex role stereotypes?

A set of beliefs and preconceived ideas about what is expected or appropriate for men and women in a given society or social group

How are sex-role stereotypes acquired?

• Sex-role stereotypes are learned from birth as children are exposed to the attitudes of parents and others within society who go on to reinforce these expectations of masculine and feminine behaviour

• It is argued that much of what is considered masculine or feminine is learned as a process of socialisation and the passing on of beliefs, attitudes and behaviours from one generation to another

What are the implications of holding sex-role stereotypes?

• Leads to an overemphasis on the differences between genders

• Perpetuates inequality and inaccurate assumptions

• Limits the opportunities for boys and girls

What is a research study that shows evidence of sex-role stereotypes?

Seavey et al (1975)

Describe the findings of Seavey et al (1975) as evidence for sex role stereotypes:

• Adult participants interacted with a three-month old infant dressed in a yellow jumpsuit

• When a baby was labelled as male, participants used plastic ring to interact with child

• When baby was labelled as female, participants used a doll to interact with child

• in the no gender label condition, participant spontaneously decided on the baby’s sex and justified this decision based on how the infant was perceived physically e.g a boy because of strong grip, girl because she’s soft

• The participants interacted differently with the infant group depending on whether they believed they were male or female. However, when no gender label was given, the female participants interacted with the baby significantly more than the male participants

What is androgyny?

Displaying a balance of masculine and feminine features in one’s personality

What is the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI)?

The first systematic attempt to measure androgyny using a rating scale to produce scores across two dimensions: masculine-feminine and androgynous-undifferentiated

How was BSRI developed?

• 100 American undergraduates were asked which personality trait they thought were desirable to men and women

• The list was narrowed to include 20 masculine traits, 20 feminine traits and 20 neutral traits

• Each person rates themselves on a 7-point Likert scale (ranging from never true of me to always true of me) and given score of masculinity, femininity, undifferentiated or androgynous

What are the BSRI classifications?

• High masculine, low feminine = masculine

• High feminine, low masculine = feminine

• High masculine, high feminine = androgynous

• Low feminine, low masculine = undifferentiated

What did the findings from the BSRI reveal?

Bem suggested that high androgyny is associated with psychological wellbeing as individuals who are (psychologically) both masculine and feminine are better equipped to adapt to a range of situations