Prototypes of gender: Conceptions of feminine and masculine

As gender research over the past 20 years has shown, conceptions of gender, while largely unconsciously held, are profoundly important; they influence our attitudes, behavior, and sense of self Culturally and socially induced, gender conceptions are subject to change over time. This article reports the findings of a test of categorization of gender among Dutch students, which was held in 1995 and 1999. What changes can be seen in contemporary notions of gender over this period of 5 years, and what do they tell us about gender conceptions in contemporary society? Presenting contemporary prototypical conceptions of feminine and masculine, this article furthermore engages with recent gender. studies in order to address questions relating to gender and work, gender equality,, gender and self-esteem, and the need for change in contemporary gender notions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved