This author became intrigued by the idea that her generation, who had grown up reaping the benefits of second-wave feminism, might differ from previous generations in their attitudes toward women. What was unclear was how this period of progress might have combined with feminist backlash in affecting subsequent generations' responses to typical…

The purpose of the current study is to examine the influence of multiple offender motivations (including no indication of a motivation), relationship length, and gender role beliefs on perceptions of a male-on-female date rape. A sample of 348 U.S. college students read a brief vignette depicting a date rape and completed a questionnaire regarding…

All good stories should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The related pair of articles that earned the author a place in this Special Section, "Masculine Instrumentality and Feminine Expressiveness: Their Relationships with Sex Role Attitudes and Behaviors" (Spence & Helmreich, 1980) and "Instrumental and Expressive…

This study assessed 43 gifted adolescent females in the United States and Germany over a 4-year period (in 7th or 8th grade and again during the 11th or 12th grade). Factors that were examined included the daughter's career selection, the prestige level and the education required to pursue that career, and the impact of the mother's gender role…

The prediction of false rape-related beliefs (rape myth acceptance [RMA]) was examined using the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (Payne, Lonsway, & Fitzgerald, 1999) among a nonclinical sample of 258 male and female college students. Predictor variables included measures of attitudes toward women, gender role identity (GRI), sexual trauma…

This study seeks to understand the effectiveness of a five-day residential leadership camp on the body image, assertiveness skills, attitudes towards gender equality, conflict resolution skills of early adolescent girl participants. To investigate the significance of the intervention, camp participants were asked to complete several instruments…

Two counselors, one a self-described feminist and the other holding more conservative attitudes toward women's liberation, led separate, semistructured consciousness-raising groups. It was found that participants in the group led by the feminist counselor showed higher postsession scores on the Attitudes Toward Women Scale. (GC)

Examines relationship between results on Attitudes toward Women Scale and free response listing of thoughts in measuring 79 male, 81 female college students' attitudes about women's roles and issues. Both sexes responded more traditionally to Equal Rights Amendment and working mothers and less traditionally to shared household tasks, suggesting…

This study explored the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and gender role attitudes. Female university students rated themselves and their parents on gender role attitudes and history of childhood sexual abuse. Traditional participant gender role attitude and social isolation were associated with reporting being sexually abused as a…

Examines the relationship between college students' gender roles and attitudes toward rape for 145 male and 374 female students. Responses to a scenario questionnaire suggest that women and men view acquaintance rape differently and that men may experience more attitude change resulting from an awareness workshop than do women. (SLD)

Examination of 278 American adults on the Attitudes toward Women Scale revealed that females, younger people, and those of higher social status have more liberal attitudes than do males, older people, and those of lower social status. This supports the construct validity of the scale. (Author/BJV)

Female secretarial and management students were compared on characteristics that have differentiated between traditional and nontraditional career women using a variety of personality and attitude measures. Results are discussed in relation to sex role socialization and the denigration of secretarial work. (FMW)

This study tests the notion that single sex colleges provide a more "favorable climate" for women's achievement than do comparable coeducational institutions. Rather than outcomes, the following college experiences are compared: (1) students' activities; (2) relations with faculty and peers; and (3) sex-role attitudes. Qualified findings…

Research on attitudes toward the female role in society revealed that the attitudinal gap between older mothers and their daughters is much greater than that between younger mothers and their daughters. The difference is attributed to the more liberal views of older mothers' daughters compared to younger mothers' daughters. (Author/MJL)

Parental sex stereotypes, maternal employment status, and the traditionality of parental occupations were studied in relation to the traditionality of 113 preschool children's vocational interests. Only the traditionality of the mother's occupation related significantly with that of the children's interests. Discusses the role model in gender…