Androgyny and the BSRI (Gender)

Question 1

Androgyny def

Answer 1

when an individual possesses high levels of both masculine and feminine traits and behaviours

e.g. being dominant and assertive in the workplace but nurturing at home

Question 2

Bem’s Prediction

Answer 2

• Androgynous people are more mentally healthy as they are free to be themselves (no constrained by gender norms/expectations)
• Being androgynous is related to better psychological well-being

Question 3

Strength of Androgyny: Supporting evidence of Flaherty and Dusk

Answer 3

• Had P’s complete the BSRI
• Found androgynous p’s shower high levels of:
  Adjustment to the environment
  Higher self-esteem
  Emotional well-being
  (when compared to p’s who were either masculine or feminine)

Question 4

Androgyny Limitation: Woodhills + Samuels

Answer 4

• Found androgyny doesn’t necessarily result in psychological well-being, it depends which traits you get
• Combination of positive traits = Good psychological well-being.
  (e.g. Assertive(M) + Cooperative(F))
• Combination of negative traits = Bad psychological well-being.
  (e.g. Overly aggressive(M) + Overly emotional(F))

Question 5

How the BSRI was created

Answer 5

• 50 males and 50 females rating 200 behavioural traits as masculine or feminine
• Top 20 Male, 20 Female and 20 gender neutral terms were selected
• Each 60 traits were put on a 7-point-scale from

Question 6

Strength of the BSRI: 1000 Students (+ reliability)

Answer 6

• 1000 students completed the test and found their results to match their descriptions of own gender identity
• Suggests a valid measurement of their gender identity

ALSO: Good test-retest reliability

• Small sample of students did a retest a month later and got similar results

Question 7

Strength of the BSRI: Standardised procedure

Answer 7

• Test uses a highly standardised procedure, which means it can be easily replicated across time and studies.
• This can help psychologists understand if/how gender stereotypes are changing and generational changes

Question 8

Limitation of the BSRI: Self-Reporting

Answer 8

BSRI may suffer effect of social desirability bias which would make p’s over/under exaggerate some traits

Therefore, BSRI may not give an accurate measure of androgyny