Androgyny BSRI

• Androgyny

  Displaying a balance of masculine and feminine characteristics in one's personality
• Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI)


  Questionnaire to measure androgyny
• Method of the BSRI

  1. 600 participants presented 20 characteristics identified as masculine, 20 as feminine and 20 as neutral

  2. Participants rated themselves on a 7-point scale
• Sandra Bem

  Suggested there are more than two distinct genders
• BSRI scores

  Classified based on two dimensions: Masculinity-femininity, Androgynous-undifferentiated
• Defining masculinity and femininity relies on outdated stereotypical notions
• Masculine traits

  • Independent, aggressive, dominant, problem solver, should be the pain provider in the family, and should control and suppress their feelings
• Feminine traits

  • Dependent, submissive, domestic, nurturing carers and emotional
• Bem found more people were androgynous than the extreme
• BSRI

  • High test-retest reliability
  • High validity
• How BSRI has high test-retest reliability and validity

  1. Developed by asking 50 male and 50 female judges to rate 200 traits

  2. Piloted with over 1000 students, results corresponded with participants' own description of their gender

  3. Follow-up with smaller sample revealed similar scores a month later
• Bem's research may not take into account the social and cultural context in which it was developed
• Bem oversimplifies a complex concept of gender identity
• Bem emphasized androgynous individuals are more psychologically healthy


  This assumption has been challenged as some researchers have argued that people who display a greater proportion of masculine traits are better adjusted as these are more highly valued
• Gender identity is too complex to be reduced to a single score, alternatives have been developed (PAQ)