EFFECTS OF GENDER, AGE, AND EDUCATION ON ASSERTIVENESS IN A NIGERIAN SAMPLE

participated in the study which investigated the effects of gender, age, and educational attainment on assertiveness among married persons in Nigeria. The Assertive Behavior Assessment scale (ABAS; Onyeizugbo, 1998) was used to measure assertiveness. Itwas hypothesized that personswithhigher educational attainmentwill reportmore assertiveness than persons with lower educational attainment. Results supported the hypothesis. In addition, interactions between gender and age, and gender and educational attainment were found. Younger men reported more assertiveness than younger women whereas older women reported more assertiveness than older men. Also, women participants of lower educational attainment reported more assertiveness than their men counterparts whereas men of higher educational attainment reported more assertiveness than their women counterparts. Results of this study suggest that women in Nigeria may become more assertive with age. Sex roles are somewhat rigid in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. Gender differences are emphasized. Men are ex-pected to be assertive (even aggressive), ambitious, and strong whereas women are expected to be submissive, pas-sive, and gentle. This double standard borders on sexism and it imposes a limit on the extent to which women ca