2. androgyny

Question 1

define androgyny

Answer 1

A personality type that is characterised by a balance of masculine and feminine traits, attitudes and behaviours.

Question 2

Bem developed a method for measuring androgyny and suggested that high androgyny is associated with psychological well-being.

This is because?

Answer 2

individuals who are both masculine and feminine in roughly equal measure are better equipped to adapt to a range of situations, whereas non androgynous people couldn’t as they have fewer traits to draw on.

Question 3

explain how ben’s BRSI measures androgyny

Answer 3

Bem’s scale presents 20 characteristics that would be commonly identified as masculine, 20 characteristics that would be feminine, and a further 20 neutral characteristics.
Respondents are required to rate themselves on a 7-point scale for each item (1- never true, 7- always true)
Scores are then classified on the basis of two dimensions: masculinity-femininity, androgynous-undifferentiated.

Question 4

what do the scores of the BSRI mean?

Answer 4

High masculine low feminine = Masculine
High feminine low masculine = Feminine
High masculine high feminine = Androgynous
Low feminine low masculine = Undifferentiated

Question 4

AO3: give one strength of BRSI

VALID AND RELIABLE

Answer 4

At the time it was developed, it appeared to be a valid and reliable way of measuring androgyny.
The scale was developed by asking 50 male and 50 female judges to rate 200 traits in terms of how much they represented maleness and femaleness.
The traits that scored the highest in each category became the 20 masculine and feminine traits on the scale. The BRSI was then piloted with over 1000 students and the results broadly corresponded with the participants’ own description of their identity, demonstrating validity.
A follow up study involving a smaller sample of the same students produced similar results, demonstrating test-retest reliability.
This gives us reason to believe the test was both valid and reliable.

Question 5

AO3: give one limitation of the BRSI

SELF AWARENESS

Answer 5

Another limitation is that the BRSI is subjective. People may not have insight into their degree of masculinity or femininity. Asking people to rate themselves on a questionnaire relies on people having an understanding of their personality and behaviour that they may not necessarily have. Furthermore, the questionnaire’s scoring system is subjective and people’s application of the 7 point scale may differ.
This suggests that the BRSI may not be an objective and scientific way of assessing masculinity, femininity and androgyny.

Question 5

AO3: give one limitation of the BRSI

LACKS GENERALISABILITY AND TEMPORAL VALIDITY

Answer 5

The BRSI was developed over 40 years ago and behaviours that are regarded as typical and acceptable in relation to gender have changed since then.
Bem’s scale is made up of stereotypical ideas of masculinity and femininity that may be outdated. In addition, the scale was developed using people all from the US. Notions of maleness and femaleness in this country may not be shared across all cultures.
This means that the BRSI may lack temporal validity and generalisability, suggesting it may not be a suitable measure of gender identity today.