Androgyny and Occupational Sex-Stereotyping of College Students

Abstract

Previous studies of occupational sex-stereotypes have focused either on discovering stereotypes of specific occupations or on exploring variables related to occupations that affect such stereotyping. This study investigated psychological androgyny as a possible mediator of occupational sex-stereotyping among college students. Androgynous women showed less stereotyped attitudes about traditionally female occupations than did traditionally sex-typed subjects of both sexes, and they also showed less stereotyping of traditionally male occupations than sex-typed subjects and than androgynous men. There was no difference in the degree of stereotyping by androgynous women of female vs male occupations. The other three groups stereotyped male occupations significantly more than the female occupations.