Ambivalent Sexism and Religion: Connected Through Values

Abstract

Sexist attitudes do not exist in a limbo; they are embedded in larger belief systems associated with specific hierarchies of values. In particular, manifestations of benevolent sexism (Glick and Fiske 1996, 1997, 2001) can be perceived as a social boon, not a social ill, both because they are experienced as positive, and because they reward behaviors that maintain social stability. One of the strongest social institutions that create and justify specific hierarchies of values is religion. In this paper, we examine how the values inherent in religious beliefs (perhaps inadvertently) propagate an unequal status quo between men and women through endorsement of ideologies linked to benevolent sexism. In a survey with a convenience sample of train passengers in Southern and Eastern Poland (N = 180), we investigated the relationship between Catholic religiosity and sexist attitudes. In line with previous findings (Gaunt 2012; Glick et al. 2002a; Taşdemir and Sakallı-Uğurlu 2010), results suggest that religiosity can be linked to endorsement of benevolent sexism. This relationship was mediated in our study by the values of conservatism and openness to change (Schwartz 1992): religious individuals appear to value the societal status quo, tradition, and conformity, which leads them to perceive women through the lens of traditional social roles. Adhering to the teachings of a religion that promotes family values in general seems to have as its byproduct an espousal of prejudicial attitudes toward specific members of the family.

Video Games Exposure and Sexism in a Representative Sample of Adolescents

“…For example, it has been shown that sexism is related to gender inequality (Glick et al, 2004; Napier et al, 2010), social dominance, right-wing authoritarianism (Christopher and Mull, 2006), and conservative values (Mikolajczak and Pietrzak, 2014). The mere introduction of such social psychological variables may affect the predictive value of general video game exposure.…”

Percepciones de justicia organizacional y sexismo ambivalente: el rol moderador del individualismo-colectivismo

“…As other socio-demographic variables may also play an important role in ambivalent sexism, the effects of the age (measured in years) and the education level of workers (1 = complete secondary education to 3 = complete higher education) were controlled. In relation to this decision, previous studies reported that adolescents are significantly more sexist than adults (Vaamonde, 2011), and that lower education levels associate with higher levels of sexism (Mikołajczak & Pietrzak, 2014).…”

“…In this regard, the effect of gender (1 = male; 2 = female) was controlled as men generally report higher levels of HS than women, who present similar or higher levels of BS (Glick & Fiske, 2001;Mikołajczak & Pietrzak, 2014). Because sexism is based on maintaining power and patriarchal dominance of men over women, it is expected that the former obtain higher scores than the latter, especially in HS (Lee et al, 2010).…”

Examining the Effects of Exercise on Frustration-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior in Rats

“…A number of authors have identified conservative and traditional religious belief systems as an important socializing context for attitudes about women and gender role expectations. For example, Mikolajczak and Pietrzak (2014) found that higher levels of religiosity in a sample of Catholic Polish women were related to higher endorsement of benevolent sexism, mediated by their adherence to values for conservatism. Burn and Busso (2005) found that benevolent sexism was linked positively to internal and external reli giosity and scriptural literalism in a sample of U.S. Christian college students.…”