Androgyny

• What does "andro" mean?

  Male
• What does "gyny" mean?

  Female
• How does Bem describe a personality type with both masculine and feminine traits?

  As androgynous
• What did Bem believe about fixed sex roles?

  They hinder psychological health
• How might androgynous individuals handle various situations?

  By adopting a variety of behaviours
• What could result from stifling true personality?

  Mental illness
• What is the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI)?

  • Measures androgyny
  • Developed using 200 characteristics
  • Rated by 100 US judges
  • Includes masculine, feminine, and neutral traits
• How many characteristics were given to judges for the BSRI?

  200
• What were the top ratings for masculinity in the BSRI?

  Aggressive, competitive, dominance
• What were the top ratings for femininity in the BSRI?

  Gentle, loyal, sympathetic
• What type of terms were included as neutral in the BSRI?

  Conscientious, helpful, happy
• How do respondents rate themselves in the BSRI?

  On a scale of 1-7
• What does the BSRI score translate to?

  Masculinity-femininity and androgynous-unclassified
• What were the aims and findings of Serbin and Burchardt's study (1982)?

  Aims:

  • To see if androgyny is linked to positive mental health

  
  

  Findings:

  • Androgynous individuals scored lower on depression scales
  • Supports Bem's views on androgyny and mental health
• What did Serbin and Burchardt find about androgynous individuals?

  They scored lower on depression scales
• What additional correlation did Serbin and Burchardt find?

  Masculinity correlated with good mental health
• What are the strengths of the BSRI scale?

  • Mostly valid and reliable
  • Developed through participant judgment
  • Piloted with over 1000 people
  • Test-retest reliability confirmed
• Why is the BSRI considered reliable?

  Scores remained similar in retests
• What practical applications arise from Bem's claims about androgyny?

  • Encourages raising children without gender stereotypes
  • Potential benefits for physical and psychological health
  • Theory has real-world applications
• What criticism do some parents have regarding removing sex-role stereotypes?

  They believe it amounts to child abuse
• What are the criticisms of the BSRI's temporal validity and cultural bias?

  • Developed over 40 years ago
  • Outdated views on masculinity and femininity
  • Western notions may not apply globally
• Why is the self-reporting aspect of the BSRI criticized?

  It relies on personal understanding of behavior
• What does the self-reporting weakness imply for the BSRI's validity?

  It lowers the internal validity