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This research examined gender-role flexibility across a variety of stressful events, and tested two proposed hypotheses that explicate the processes underlying gender-role flexibility. Theknowing-more hypothesisposits that androgynous individuals have a broad coping repertoire. Theknowing-how hypothesisposits that androgynous individuals know how to cope according to changing situational characteristics. The coping responses of Chinese university students were assessed in both real-life (Study 1) and hypothetical (Study 2) stressful situations. Results revealed that androgynous participants, who were less depressed than others, were characterized by (a) cognitive astuteness in distinguishing among situational characteristics and (b) deployment of strategies that fit specific situational demands. Results supported theknowing-how hypothesisonly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on Bern sex-Role Inventory (BSRI). The BSRI has been presented as an instrument that allows one to measure an aspect of sex roles that is not tapped by more tradi tional MF scales. This unique quality of the BSRI is said to be the result of three important features that distinguish it from other, commonly used MF scales. In most of the research that involves items that relate to sex roles, items have been chosen on the basis of their differential endorsement by males and females or on the basis of the fact that males and females earn significantly different scores on those items. The implication of using this method to select sex-role-related items is that the items so selected will be different items than would have been selected on the basis of their differential endorsement by males and females.

The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), the recently developed measure for psychological androgyny, was administered to 344 middle-Tennessee high school and university students. The BSRI's reliability coefficients and mean scores were very similar to those reported earlier for California junior college and university students, respectively. The present scoring patterns for the BSRI remained unchanged with the introduction of the four "familial context" variables of sex of Ss' siblings, sex of Ss' nearest-in-age sibling, parent whom the Ss considered emotionally warmest, and parent whom the Ss would most prefer to be like. Contrary to Bem's original findings, the present results with the BSRI suggested that Ss' responses to the measure may be affected by the social desirability phenomenon. Moreover, scores on the BSRI did not correlate consistently or highly with those presently obtained with a symbolic sex-role measure and a verbal sex-role scale. This lack of construct validity has been reported previously in at least two other studies. Though apparently reliable, the validity of the BSRI remains problematic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initiation of potentially health-threatening behaviors by adolescents, despite their realization of the dangers of such behavior, has been attributed to various social influences (e.g., peer pressure). It appears that some adolescents may be more likely to resist such influences than others. The present exploratory investigation tests the hypothesis that adolescents characterized as androgynous in ‘sex role’ terms would be less vulnerable to social influences to engage in one such health-threatening behavior, smoking. Within a sample of seventh graders (n = 3,317), sex role identity was measured by relevant items from the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) as was frequency of cigarette smoking. Results indicate that ‘androgynous’ subjects, as hypothesized. may smoke less than those characterized by other sex roles. Results are discussed in the context of our recommendations for more comprehensive testing of the relation between sex role and smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study that examined whether androgynous individuals are more effective persons and parents. Discussion of the argument that psychological gender should be substituted for biological gender; Bem Sex-Role Inventory scores as predictors of adult competence and adjustment; Predictive power of the fourfold gender classification.

Comments on the article 'Are Androgynous Individuals More Effective Persons and Parents?,' by Diana Baumrind. Discussion on Bem's androgyny theory; Information on the Spence-Helmreich theory.

The present study explores the question of why do people prefer to use a particular title in reference to themselves and others rather than an alternative title also available for use. The study investigates the effects of three variables on male and female preference for using the Ms title: attitude toward the Women's Liberation Movement, general conservatism and psychological androgyny. There are probably a number of reasons for the introduction of the Ms title. It is a convenient form of address when communicating with a woman whose marital status is unknown, enabling one to avoid possible social embarrassment or affront to the addressee.