Sex Differences in Female Teachers' Approval and Disapproval Behaviors as Related to Their Self-Definition of Sex-Role Type

Abstract

44 white female teachers were observed by two observers for six separate 20-min. periods for a total of 88 hr. The frequencies of approval and disapproval behaviors toward boys and girls were obtained. After observation, the Bem Sex-role Inventory was administered to the teachers, and four groups of 11 teachers each were classified by a median split-procedure as androgynous, masculine, feminine, and undifferentiated. As predicted, masculine teachers were more approving of boys' behavior, feminine teachers were more approving of girls' behavior and less approving of boys' behavior. In total observations, types of teacher did not differ, but when approval or disapproval was considered, there were significant differences according to pupils' sex and type of observation. Teachers' self-definition of sex-role type is likely to influence significantly their behavior toward middle-school boys and girls.