androgyny Flashcards
what is androgyny?
a personality type that is categorised by a balance of masculine and feminine traits, attitudes and behaviours
what have researchers suggested we need to have high levels of in order to be androgynous?
they said individuals have to be high in terms of both masculine and feminine traits in order to be androgynous
who created the idea of androgyny?
Sandra Bem
what was Bem trying to challenge?
challenged the traditional ideas that were prevalent in the 1970s that masculine and femenine behaviours were seperate clusters
what idea did Bem propose?
that people could be both masculine and feminine
why did Bem feel like sex role stereotypes were unhealthy?
believed they led to stifling personalities, psychological costs, mental disorders
what is the psychological impact on an androgynous individual?
they are seen to be more psychologically healthier
what does the BSRI stand for?
Bem Sex Role Inventory
what does the BSRI measure?
measures how androgynous someone is
how was the BSRI created?
- asked 100 American undergraduates which personality traits they thought were desirable for men and which for women.
- list was narrowed down to 20 feminine traits and 20 masculine traits, with 20 neutral traits thrown in as distractors
- participants had to rate themselves from 1-7 (likert scale) on each trait, added ratings for masculine and feminine traits separately
- based on the results, the participant would be categorised as masculine, feminine or androgynous.
AO3: how is ‘validity of the scale’ a strength to androgyny?
One strength to research into androgyny is that the BSRI has higher validity. This is because the BSRI was piloted with over 1000 students, meaning that the validity was increased as there was a higher level of consistent within the results. They found that the results of the BSRI broadly corresponded with the participants own description of their gender development. Therefore, the BSRI has high face validity as it is accurate in what it is trying to measure.
AO3: how is ‘reliability of the scale’ a strength to androgyny?
One strength to research into androgyny is that the BSRI scale has high reliability. This is because a follow up study of the same group of students was conducted over a month after the initial study took place. They found that the results from the smaller study were similar to what the particpants scored in their previous study a month before. Therefore, the research has high test-retest reliability.
AO3: how is ‘refuting evidence’ a limitation to androgyny?
One limitation to research into androgyny is that there is refuting evidence. This is because Bems claim that androgyny is associated with psychological wellbeing has been challenged. For example, Adams and Sherer (1985) suggested that those who display more masculine characteristics are more well adjusted as they are more valued within western society. This means that Bems research may not have taken into consideration the social and cultural contexts it was carried out in. therefore, the BSRI may not be applicable to other cultures outside the US.
AO3: how is ‘reductionist’ a limitation to androgyny?
One limitation to research into androgyny is that it is reductionist. This is because the idea of gender identity is too complex to reduce to a single score. For example, Golombok and Fivush (1994) suggested the idea that gender identity is much more of a global concept than the BSRI suggests. They suggested that in order to fully understand gender identity to its full potential, we need to consider wider issues such as how the person feels and may perceive their own abilities. Therefore, this theory undermines the complexity of gender identity by reducing it to a numeric score.
