Individual differences in gendered person perception: a multifactorial study

M.A.The psychological study of gender has evolved to comprise both dispositional and social cognitive perspectives (Morawski, 1987). Recent theoretical debates within these fields have centred on multifactorial and unifactorial conceptions of gendered factors (Spence, 1993), and the cognitive representation of gender (Howard & Hollander, 1997). This study aimed to investigate specific phenomena implicated in the above approaches. Firstly, it assessed the influence of using gender as a basic-level category (Fiske & Taylor, 1991) for the organisation of person schemas on other elements of the perceivers’ gender belief systems (Deaux & LaFrance, 1998). These elements comprise the use of gender stereotypical perception of others, endorsement of traditional-sexist gender attitudes, and self-identification with expressive and instrumental personality traits (Deaux & LaFrance, 1998). Secondly, the study aimed to explicate the structure of perceivers’ gender belief systems (Deaux & LaFrance, 1998). To this end, multifactorial gender theories (Koestner & Aube, 1995), as explanations of the interrelations of gendered factors, were evaluated. Spence and Sawin’s (1985) multifactorial gender identity theory was specifically scrutinised in this regard. Hypotheses which were informed by sceptical accounts of the theoretical utility of the femininity and masculinity constructs (Spence & Buckner, 1995), gender transcendence theories (Ravinder, 1987c), robust multifactorial findings (Spence & Buckner, 2000), and recent advances in social cognitive theory (Higgins, 2000) were formed based on a review of the relevant literature.. Various self-report measures were utilised to address the research questions. A modified version of Kelley’s (1955) Role Construct Repertory test (Rep test), an Instrumental and Expressive scale (I/E scale) developed by Spence and Buckner (2000), a modified version of the Adjective Check List (ACL-M; Beere, 1990), the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS; Spence & Helmreich, 1978), and the Macho Scale (MS; Villemez & Touhey, 1977) were administered to a test sample of university students. The results of the study suggested that elements of the gender belief system relate to one another in complex patterns. Perceivers’ use of gender as a basic-level category was found to partially predict, along with their endorsement of traditional-sexist gender attitudes, the degree to which they implemented societal gender stereotyping. In addition, general multifactorial assumptions regarding gender (Koestner & Aube, 1995) were confirmed in that components of the gender belief system (Deaux & LaFrance, 1998) were shown to have varied interrelations depending on their specific properties (Spence, 1993). Multifactorial gender identity theory (Spence & Buckner, 2000; Spence & Sawin, 1985) received less support, and findings obtained suggested that its conceptions regarding femininity and masculinity as ineffable identity factors to be flawed. Alternative explanations of these findings that reflected gender transcendent and social cognitive insights (Frable, 1997; Freedman & Lips, 1996) better accounted for the results. In conclusion, the present study found considerable individual variance among perceivers’ use of gender as an important basic-level category for person perception. These differences in viewing males and females as fundamentally different human beings (Howard & Hollander, 1997) impacted on how targets (both known and less known) were perceived in terms of ostensibly gendered attributes. In addition, multifactorial conceptions of gender were supported as well as the contention that femininity and masculinity are not theoretically useful heuristics (Morawski, 1987)