Help to Perpetuate Traditional Gender Roles: Benevolent Sexism Increases Engagement in Dependency-Oriented Cross-Gender Helping

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 2016-01, Vol.110 (1), p.55-75
• Main Authors: Shnabel, Nurit, Bar-Anan, Yoav, Kende, Anna, Bareket, Orly, Lazar, Yael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Assistance (Social Behavior); Beneficence; Coping Behavior; Dependency (Personality); Dependency (Psychology); Female; Femininity; Gender; Helping Behavior; Human; Human Sex Differences; Humans; Independence (Personality); Interpersonal Relations; Male; Masculinity; Middle Aged; Sex Roles; Sexism; Sexism - psychology; Sexual behavior; Sexual behaviour; Sexual orientation; Sexuality; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/pspi0000037

Based on theorizing that helping relations may serve as a subtle mechanism to reinforce intergroup inequality, the present research (N = 1,315) examined the relation between benevolent sexism (i.e., a chivalrous yet subtly oppressive view of women) and helping. In cross-gender interactions, the endorsement of (Studies 1, 3, and 4) or exposure to (Study 2) benevolent sexism predicted (a) men's preference to provide women with dependency-oriented help (i.e., direct assistance) rather than tools for autonomous coping, and (b) women's preference to seek dependency-oriented help rather than tools for autonomous coping. Benevolent sexism did not predict men's and women's engagement in dependency-oriented helping relations in same-gender interactions. Studies 1 and 2 examined behavioral intentions in response to a series of hypothetical scenarios; Studies 3 and 4 examined actual behavior in tests of mathematical and logical ability, and pointed to assumed partner's expectations as a potential mediator. The converging evidence supports the hypothesis that benevolent sexism encourages engagement in cross-gender helping relations that perpetuate traditional gender roles.