Sex-trait stereotypes and their evaluation among
Indian adults
Kastoor Bhana
Department of Psychology, University of Durban-Westville, Durban
The area of sex-trait stereotypes has gained increasing
empirical attention, no doubt influenced by the various
feminist movements. The two most frequently asked
research questions have concerned a description of sextrait stereotypes and the origin of these. The
methodology employed has been varied, ranging from
rating scales to behavioural measures. Williams and Bennet (1975) report a series of studies using the Adjective
Check List of Gough and Heilbrun (1965) to measure the
S. Afr. J. Psychol. 1980, 10: 42-45
sex-trait stereotypes held by college adults and to develop
thereon a means to measure its development in children.
'n Beskrywing van die eienskappe wat die manlike en vroulike
stereotipe uitmaak, is van 'n groep jong lndler volwassenes
Another question that is gaining increasing research atmet behulp van die 'Adjective Check List' (ACL) verkry. 'n
tention concerns the evaluation of the commonly held
Ander onafhanklike groep het ook die trekke (byvoeglike
sex-trait stereotypes. Broverman, Vogel, Broverman,
naamwoorde) van die ACL beoordeel. Die resultate toon 'n
Clarkson and Rosenkrantz (1972) report that there is a
bekrywing van die manlike en vroulike stereotipe; 'n duidelike
differential evaluation of characteristics with those atafwesigheid van oor-eenstemming tussen die twee geslagte
met betrekking tot die eienskappe wat kenmerkend van die
tributed as masculine being more positively evaluated
geslagte is; en 'n differensiele evaluering deur die twee
than those attributed as feminine. In a later study,
geslagte van die manlike en vroulike stereotipe. Hierdie
Williams and Best (1977) report no such differences in
resultate word bespreek in terme van eksperimentele sowel as
the evaluations.
praktiese imnplikasies.
The actual description of the sex-trait stereotype that
S.-Afr. Tydskr. Sielk. 1980, 10: 42-45
emerges from the various studies appears to depend upon
the date of the study, the roles and occupations of family
members and the specific subjects sampled. These, to
date, have come largely from highly industrialized
western societies which could be assumed to be in a state
of transition, shifting toward a more equalitarian role
structure for their members. This makes it difficult for
the members to have consistent sex-trait stereotypes. Information regarding other cultures is limited. Barry,
Bacon and Child (1957) and D' Andrade (1966) reported
that in those non-western cultures which they studied the
sex-trait stereotypes were similar to that held in the
western societies at that time, while Mead (1961) described great divergence in the sex-trait standards among the
Arapesh, Mundugumor and the Tchambuli.
A community about which there is very little information on sex-trait stereotypes is the Indian population of
South Africa. This community, while having its own well
established culture, nevertheless has to function within a
western technological and economic system. It is considered important to examine whether the sex-trait
stereotypes held by an Indian sample are also in a state of
K. Bhana
transition as in the rapidly changing western comDepartment of Psychology, University of Durban-Westville,
munities.
Private Bag X5400I, Durban 4000, Republic of South Africa
It was within this context that the present study atDownloaded from sap.sagepub.com at PENNSYLVANIA
STATE UNIV
September 13,
Accepted August 1979
tempted
toonobtain
a 2016
description of the sex-trait stereotype
A description of those characteristics comprising the male
and female stereotypes, using the Adjective Check List (ACL),
was obtained from a group of young Indian adults. A different
group independently evaluated the traits (adjectives) of the
ACL. The results revealed a description of the male and
female stereotypes; a substantial lack of agreement between
the sexes with respect to the features characteristics of each
sex; and a differential evaluation by the sexes of the male and
female stereotypes. These results were discussed in terms of
their experimental and practical implications.
S. Afr. J. Psychol. 1980, 10(1/2)
held by Indian adults, examine the favourability or nonfavourability of these stereotypes, and to provide some
cross-cultural information on sex-trait stereotypes in an
acculturating community.
Method
Subjects
The sex-trait stereotype measure was obtained from 60
men and 60 women Indian students enrolled in the Introductory Psychology class at the University of DurbanWestville. The age range was 17 - 22 years with a mean
of 18 years and four months.
The favourability information was obtained from a
different sample of 36 male and 36 female university
students. The age range was 17 - 22 years, with a mean
of 19 years and seven months.
Procedure
The Adjective Check List (ACL) originally developed by
Gough and Heilbrun (1965) and subsequently adapted by
Williams and Bennet (1975) to investigate sex-trait
stereotypes was employed. The ACL consists of 300 adjectives such as aggressive, meek, zany, arranged in
alphabetical order. The subjects were given the ACL and
asked to indicate whether each adjective was more frequently associated with males or with females in their
society.
For the favourability measure the subjects were asked
to rate the ACL adjectives on a five point scale, with 1 indicating 'very unfavourable' to 5 indicating 'very
favourable' . Thus the higher the score the more
favourable the adjective (trait) was presumed to be
perceived.
The above two measures comprised the dependent
measures which were then analyzed to reveal pertinent information.
43
calculated by the formula:
agreement
100
agreement + disagreement x
The specific components of the stereotype agreed upon
by the sexes as well as the areas of disagreement are
presented in Tables 1 and 2.
The mean favourability rating for the agreed male
stereotype was 3,5 and 2,8 for the agreed female
stereotype. This difference was tested for significance by
means of the r-test. This was significant p < 0,01,
(t = 2,779; df = 69) suggesting that the two stereotypes
are differently evaluated with the male stereotype being
more favourable than the female.
Of interest is the finding that the mean rating of those
traits attributed as female characteristics by women subjects but not by men subjects was 2,9 and 2,1 for those
traits attributed as female characteristics by men subjects
but not by women subjects. Corresponding ratings for
the male attributed characteristics were 2,5 and 3,9
(Tables 1 & 2). These figures suggest that autostereotypes
are more fabourable than heterostereotypes and that the
male autostereotype is more positive (mean 3,9) than the
female autostereotype (mean 2,9).
Discussion
The data show that the characteristics compnsmg the
ACL are evaluated similarly by both men and women
subjects as evidenced by the correlation of 0,97.
However, for the derived male and female stereotype
which were composed of those characteristics which 75%
of the men and women subjects attributed as male and
female characteristics, the percent agreement between the
sexes was 49 for the male and 56 for the female
stereotype. This conflicts with Williams and Best (1977)
who reported that the male stereotype is more focussed
Results
and knowledge of it developes earlier than the female
For each sex, the total favourability rating of each adjecstereotype does.
tive was computed. The Pearson product moment corThe Indian society is an acculturating one where, for
relation coefficient, using the figures thus obtained, was
example, the traditional family structures and role expec0,977 indicating high overall agreement among the men
tations are in a state of transition (Naidoo 1977), and the
and women subjects with regard to the favourability or
subjects of this experiment who are university students
unfavourability of each adjective. Further analyses showcould be experiencing this more acutely. This could be
ed that the overall mean rating was 105,03 for the male
especially true of women. Figures indicate that more
subjects and 108,19 for the females. In view of the high
women are now enrolling at universities and entering the
agreement between the sexes in the means and the corlabour force than ever before. A further contributory
relation coefficient, it was decided to pool the rating
cause for the disagreement in sex-trait stereotype could be
scores of the sexes for further analyses. Thus each adjeclinked to specific socialization practices of the parents. In
tive (trait) of the ACL would have one favourability
many families opportunity for full participatory
rating score.
heterosexual interaction is limited during teenage
The data from the ACL was treated separately for the
resulting in mainly parallel development. This needs to be
male and female subjects. The specific components of the
empirically validated. Further research aimed towards
sex-trait stereotypes held by the two sexes were examined.
isolating specific socialization practices, for example, inThose adjectives of the ACL that 75010 of the men subteraction opportunities, might help clarify the situation.
jects attributed to males and females were taken as inMore distressing is the finding that the characteristics
dicative of their autostereotypes and heterostereotypes. A
attributed as comprising the male and female stereotypes
similar procedure was followed for the women subjects.
are differentially evaluated. Sixty seven adjectives comThe results indicated that the men subjects attributed
prising the male autostereotype had a mean favourabi1ity
67 adjectives to males and 45 to females. Comparable
rating of 3,7 while the 50 traits making up the female
figures for the women subjects were 46 and 50. The perautostereotype had a mean rating of 2,85. These ratings
cent agreement between the sexes with respect to the male
are also reflected in the agreed stereotype as evidenced by
Downloaded from sap.sagepub.com at PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV on September 13, 2016
female stereotype
stereotype was 49, and 56 for the
the significant r-value. Overall, the female autostereotype
S.-Afr. Tydskr. Sielk. 1980, 10(1/2)
44
Table 1
Components of the male stereotype
Table 2
A. Adjectives attributed to males by both men and women
subjects
intelligent
reliable
active
capable
enthusiastic
original
responsible
interests wide
enterprising
relaxed
individualistic
ingenious
outspoken
spontaneous
foresighted
(4,6)
(4,5)
(4,4)
(4,4)
(4,4)
(4,4)
(4,4)
(4,3)
(4,0)
(4,0)
(3,9)
(3,8)
(3,8)
(3,8)
initiative
natural
reasonable
steady
witty
jolly
sharpwitted
stable
planful
quick
easygoing
robust
headstrong
unexcitable
disorderly
(4,2)
(4,2)
(4,2)
(4,2)
(4,2)
(4,1)
(4,1)
(4,1)
(3,7)
(3,6)
(3,5)
(3,0)
(2,6)
Components of the female stereotype
A. Adjectives attributed to females by both men and women
subjects
charming
complicated
dissatisfied
evasive
fault-finding
(4,1)
(2,4)
(2,1)
(2, I)
(2, I)
aloof
flirtatious
interests narrow
prejudiced
quarrelsome
conceited
(2,0)
(1,9)
(1,9)
(1,6) .
(1,4)
(1,4)
*Figures in parenthesis refer to the mean rating scores.
societal sex-trait stereotypes. It could be that the subjects
have not clearly distinguished between the two and the
(3,7)
disagreement and the evaluation could be reflecting a
(1,7)
conflict between their self-concepts and the assumed
*Figures in parenthesis refer to the mean rating scores.
stereotype. Using a different type of sample and/or a different set of instructions aimed towards measuring the
extent of identification of the subjects with the prevailing
stereotype, as described by them, might be extremely
and heterostereotype are more negatively evaluated than
valuable for both practical and theoretical purposes.
the male, a finding which has implications for the various
This research is exploratory and has raised more quesmovements striving towards legal and social sexual
tions that it has provided answers to. Clearly the area of
equality.
sex role stereotype is a viable research area where some
It must be noted that this research does not allow one
very basic information is needed. Further research could
to separate the extent of the involvement of the subjects
also be directed towards clarifying some of the issues inDownloaded
sap.sagepub.com
at PENNSYLVANIA
STATE UNIV
on September
13, 2016 findings.
of from
the
prevailing
self-concepts from the components
reported
volved
in the
(2,4)
45
S. Afr. J. Psycho\. 1980. 10(1/2)
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