SUBJECTIVE  GENDER  ROLE ASSESSMENT INDEX FOR USE IN THE COLLEGE  CLASSROOM

 

Introduction

 

The authors propose an assessment index for use primarily in the classroom, but may  also be

used in general research.

 

Review

 

Research dealing with sex  roles, gender roles and related are numerous.*

 

 One of the authors has  previously utilized sex role research in the classroom  (Tesar, Dan and Joel C. Snell,1995:95-98.)

 

Perhaps, one of the most comprehensive discussion of gender roles is Beere’s GENDER ROLES: A

HANDBOOK OF TESTS AND MEASURES (1993.)  In it, there is coverage of gender roles,

children and gender, stereotypes, marital and parental roles, attitude toward gender role issues, employee roles, and multiple roles. (see Beere, 1993 i-x.)

 

After an analysis of the numerous indexes, inventories, and scales, very little is ultimately  a subjective assessment of self &others in terms of gender roles. To clarify, all of the research tools name traits and characteristics that are attributable to one gender, the other or both. We could not find one that ask the subject to  NOT  specify what is feminine, masculine, androgynous or other criteria.

 

This is also valid for Richardson and Wirtenberg’s SEX ROLE RESEARCH:MEASURING SOCIAL CHANGE (1983.)

 

One of the premier, sex role assessments is the BSRI ,the Bem Sex Role Inventory (Beere, 1995:73)

It too, has objective, identifiable characteristics.

 

This is one of the objections indicated by Jacklin (1981.)

 

The authors also discovered that sex/gender role research for classroom activity has precedence

( Signorella and Frieze, 1989.)

 

Thus, the authors propose a subjective assessment index that is usable for the classroom.

 

Index

 

The authors propose the  Snell-Allen Gender Role Assessment Index. It is as follows:

 

1.   I am:

A)Very feminine  B) Feminine  C)  Have characteristics of  both  D) Masculine

E) Very Masculine

 

2.  Others see me as:

A) Very feminine B) Feminine C) Have characteristics of  both  D) Masculine

E) Very masculine

 

3.  My significant other (specify) see me as:

4.A) Very feminine  B) Feminine  C) Have characteristics of both  D) Masculine

E)Very masculine

 

4.  Others who I believe do not like me, see me as:

A)Very feminine B) Feminine  C) Have characteristics of both  D) Masculine

E) Very masculine

 

5.  Others who I believe do like me, see me as:

A) Very feminine B) Feminine  C) Have characteristics of both  D) Masculine

E)Very masculine

 

Discussion

 

At this point, the instructor can ask students about attributes. What does it mean to you when someone

says feminine? androgynous? masculine?

 

Numerous other scales, indexes, inventories could then be introduced.

 

Or, one could provide extended discussion about  gender roles. There can be endless discussion

as gender schema is part of personality.

 

Protocals

 

VALIDITY:  face/consentual validation (cross or criterion validation not viable

because of the subjective nature of the index)

RELIABILITY:  test-reset or split half  could  not be run because of the subjectivity  of the index.

EFFICACIOUSNESS: index is understandable and easy to use for the respondent.

 

Conclusion

 

A gender role assessment index has been presented for class room activity or general research.

 

 

References Cited

 

Beere, Carole A.  (1993)

GENDER ROLES: A HANDBOOK OF TESTS AND MEASURES (New York: Greenwood Press)

 

Jacklin, Carol Nagy (1981)

"Methodological issues in the study of sex related differences" Developmental Review, 266-273.

 

Richardson, B.L. and J. Wirtenberg (1983)

SEX ROLE RESEARCH: MEASURING SOCIAL CHANGE (Praeger Scientific:New York)

 

Signorella, M.L. and I. H. Frieze (1989)

"Gender schemas in college students"  Psychology, Vol. 26, #4, 1989, 16-23

 

Tesar, Dan and Joel C. Snell (1995)

"Instructional management and sex roles: a descriptive study"  Journal of Instructional Psychology

March, 1995  95-98.

 

* Special thanks to Gary Botos, Research Librarian.