On Sex and the Psychology of “Playing Dumb”: A Reevaluation

Abstract

Questionnaire data, gathered from a varied sample of 142 male and 260 female subjects, were used to address two questions concerning the perception of sex roles and appropriateness of certain sex-related behavior: (1) Has the proportion of women who report that they “play dumb” changed over the past generation? And (2) do males' perceptions of “playing dumb” agree with females'? Data supported the view that women continue to play dumb, but an equal proportion of men reported doing so as well. The data argue for a revised conception of the relationship between “playing dumb” and sexual identity.