Attitudes Toward Women, 1970–1995

Abstract

The social climate for women has changed considerably since the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS; Spence & Helmreich, 1972a) was developed in the early 1970s, but the pattern of change in AWS scores throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s is unclear. Published reports of data from 71 samples of American undergraduates responding to the AWS were located and analyzed for differences across time (1970–1995) and region (South and non‐South). Women's AWS scores were strongly correlated with year of scale administration (r= .78, p < .001), and men's scores showed a similar trend toward more liberal/feminist attitudes (r= .60, p < .001). Scores show a steady trend toward more liberal/feminist attitudes, with no appreciable reversal or slowdown during the 1980s. Gender differences steadily increased from 1970 to 1985 and decreased from 1986 to 1995. Southern samples were marginally more conservative/traditional. The results are discussed in terms of generational differences, the effects of maternal employment on attitudes, and the individual's experience of cultural change.

Mastering developmental transitions in young and middle adulthood: The interplay of openness to experience and traditional gender ideology on women's self-efficacy and subjective well-being.

“…2010; Twenge, 1997). Despite this general tendency, however, some women do endorse 6 traditional gender ideology, which assigns them a disadvantaged and inferior position compared 7 to men.…”

Rodne razlike u obiteljskim ulogama, zadovoljstvu i doživljaju pravednosti s obzirom na tradicionalnost stava

“…Provedba ovog istraživanja potaknuta je istraživanjima u svijetu, kao i u Hrvatskoj, koja ostavljaju dojam da se nesuglasje između stavova i iskustva u pogledu podjele uloga između supružnika posljednjih desetljeća smanjuje, iako je još uvijek prisutnije kod žena (Twenge, 1997.;Bryant, 2003.;Jugović, 2004.;Stickney i Konrad, 2007.). Također, nalazi ukazuju na značajnu ulogu stavova o rodnim ulogama u percepciji pravednosti ostvarene podjele obiteljskih uloga među partnerima i zadovoljstvu partnerskom vezom.…”

Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders.

“…Researchers have had considerable success in producing measures of individual differences in approval of traditional gender roles (e.g., Glick & Fiske, 1996;Spence & Helmreich, 1978). Approval of the traditional female gender role also varies according to (a) sex of perceiver, with men showing more approval (e.g., Glick & Fiske, 1996); (b) year of data collection, with a decline over time in approval (e.g., Spence & Hahn, 1997;Twenge, 1997); and (c) culture, with citizens of some nations showing more approval (e.g., Best & Williams, 1993;Glick & Fiske, 2001).…”