Sex-Role Attitudes:1972-1980

Abstract

Sex-role attitudes as measured by the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (Spence & Helmreich, 1972) were assessed in samples of students tested in 1972, 1976, and 1980 and in samples of their parents tested in 1972 and 1976. In both student and adult samples there were large and significant shifts toward egalitarianism between 1972 and 1976. Male students showed no overall change in attitudes between 1976 and 1980, while female students showed a small but significant shift in the conservative direction. Examination of individual items revealed highest endorsement by both sexes of vocational and educational equality.