GENDER : ANDROGYNY Flashcards
What is androgyny
personality type characterised by a balance of masc and feminine traits( attitudes and behaviours)
give example of androgyny
man or woman whos competitive and aggressive at work but a caring and sensitive parent
who developed a methid for measuring androgyny
Sandra Bem
sandra bem suggested high androgyny is associated with
psychological well being
explain why Bem suggested high androgyny is associated with psychological well being and those who are non androgynous dont have as much psycho wellbeing
indis who are pscyhologically both masc and feminine in a roughly equal measure are better equipped to adapt to a range of situations
but non androg people would find adapting to a range of situations difficult because theyve got a narrower range of traits to draw from
both men and women can be
andrigynous
what is not qualified as andrigyny and give an example
over representation of opposite gender charcteristics
e.g woman very masc
why does over representation of opposite gender charcteristics not count as andrigyny
they dont exhibit the necessary balance of masculine and feminine traits
how can we measure andrigyny
The Bem Sex Role Inventory
in teh TBSRI what 3 categories does the bems represent
20 characteristics that would be commonly identified as masc
20 characteristics that would be commonly identified as fem
20 characteristics that are neutral are also given in the scale
give 2 examples of on teh TBSRI feminine charcteristics
tender
gentle
give 2 examples of on teh TBSRI masc charcteristics
competitive
aggressive
give examples of on teh TBSRI neutral charcteristics
happy
helpful
what are respondents requied to do in the TBSRI
rate emselves on a 7 point rating scale for eahc item
on the 7 point rating scale in TBSRI what does 1 and 7 mean
1 - never true of me
7 - always true of me
After the participant has responded in TBSRI what happens to their scores
scores are classified on the basis of two dimensions
masculinity-feminity
androgynous - undifferentiated
if my score on TBSRI is high masculine low feminine what is my classification
Masculine
if my score on TBSRI is high feminine low masculine what is my classification
Feminine
if my score on TBSRI is high masculine high feminine what is my classification
andrigynous
strength/limitation counterpoint of ANDROGYNY (BSRI) - issues and debates holism/reductionism (check wth miss woodburn)
Androgyny as a theory of gender is criticised for being experimentally reductionist.
Gender identity is far too complex to be reduced to a single score in the way that the BSRI does
. On the other hand, the androgynous theory of gender is more holistic than other theories
since it acknowledges the benefits of having both masculine and feminine traits,
whereas others such as the psychodynamic theory do not,
instead claiming that children must learn the traditional and rigid masculine or feminine gender roles.
Therefore, there are both strengths and limitations to the reductionist nature of androgyny
lmitation of BSRI - lack internal validity
The use of self-report methods such as the BSRI are criticised for lacking internal validity.
The BSRI requires individuals to rate themselves against traits honestly and accurately,
which may lead people to under or overestimate themselves, misinterpret questions/traits or consciously try to appear desirable to researchers. (where can i put key word of demand charcteristics?)
The consequence of these possibilities is a decrease in the internal validity of the BSRI and any conclusions drawn from research that utilises this tool.
limtation of BSRI - temporal validity
One limitation of the BSRI is that it lacks temporal validity.
The BSRI was developed in the 1970s and is considered by critics to be outdated
as the tool is based on old-fashioned gender stereotypes that are no longer relevant.
Modern-day populations
who are asked to agree on masculine and feminine stereotypes
are not likely to hold the same opinions that laid the foundation for the BSRI.
Therefore, the BSRI lacks validity
and is no longer an accurate tool for investigating gender.
