Description and Evaluation of a Measurement Technique for Assessment of Performing Gender

Abstract

The influence of masculinity and femininity on behaviors and outcomes has been extensively studied in social science research using various measurement strategies. In the present paper, we describe and evaluate a measurement technique that uses existing survey items to capture the extent to which an individual behaves similarly to their same-gender peers. We use data from the first four waves of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents (age 12–18) in the United States who were re-interviewed at ages 13–19, 18–26, and 24–32. We estimate split-half reliability and provide evidence that supports the validity of this measurement technique. We demonstrate that the resulting measure does not perform as a trait measure and is associated with involvement in violent fights, a pattern consistent with theory and empirical findings. This measurement technique represents a novel approach for gender researchers with the potential for expanding our current knowledge base.

Further Reflections on Sandra Lipsitz Bem’s Impact

“…Many of the papers in both special issues of Sex Roles have related Bem's ideas to our understanding of children's gender development (current issue: Bukowski et al 2016;Fleming et al 2016;Pauletti et al 2016; also in prior issue: Liben and Bigler 2015;Martin et al 2016;Menon 2016). Furthermore, in the present issue, Lemaster et al (2015) took a lifespan developmental approach to examine variations in psychological androgyny across adulthood (also see Keener and Strough 2016;Mehta and Dementieva 2016;Starr and Zurbriggen 2016, in the first special issue).…”

“…In their study in the current issue, Fleming et al (2016) considered a wider range of gender-typed behavioral characteristics than those assessed in the BSRI or PAQ. They utilized the national Add Health dataset of U.S. adolescents to define psychological masculinity and femininity in terms of behaviors that were more typical among young women (e.g., crying, doing work around the house, thinking of self in terms of weight) or more typical among young men (playing active sport, playing video/ computer games).…”

Oh the Places We’ll Go! Where will Sandra Bem’s Work Lead Us Next?

“…This can be done in a number of ways. More complicated approaches include utilizing longitudinal designs (see Bukowski et al 2016;Fleming et al 2016) or examining a topic area across the lifespan (see Lemaster et al 2015). Other, simpler approaches include considering the developmental stage of the target research population and reflecting on the potential distal causes of gender-typed behavior, such as salient age/developmental stage-related life tasks and motives (see Lemaster et al 2015;Mehta et al 2016).…”

“…Fleming et al (2016) developed a measurement technique for assessing behavioral expressions of gender using The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health dataset. The technique assesses gender expression by measuring the degree to which a person's behaviors are similar or dissimilar to the behaviors reported by others of the same gender in the same dataset.…”

“…Interestingly, Fleming et al (2016) envision their measurement technique for assessing the degree to which girls and women and boys and men behave like their same-gender peers and apply it in the same way that Yang and Merrill (2016) did in their study on wayfinding. Specifically, Fleming et al note that their behavioral assessment could be used to understand why some men smoke whereas others do not, or whether women who behave similarly to men might smoke at similar rates to men.…”