Social Change and The Persistence of Sex Typing: 1974–1997

The most accepted explanation for gender differences is the sociocultural model that holds them to be results of socialization and/or occupancy of sex differentiated roles. There has been extensive social change in the past three decades, reducing sex typed role assignments and attitudes. However, e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social forces 2001-09, Vol.80 (1), p.1-36
Main Authors: Lueptow, Lloyd B., Garovich-Szabo, Lori, Lueptow, Margaret B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Androgyny
Behavioral Science Research
Behavioral Sciences
Cognitive Style
Females
Femininity
Gender
Gender Differences
Gender differentiation
Gender roles
Genetics
Historical perspectives
Individualized Instruction
Interpersonal Relationship
Males
Masculinity
Men
Midwestern States
Observational research
Persistence
Personality
Personality Measures
Personality Traits
Prostitution
Resistance (Psychology)
Self Concept
Sex Differences
Sex linked differences
Sex Role
Sex Role Identity
Sex roles
Sex Stereotypes
Sex typing
Sexual reproduction
Social aspects
Social Change
Social history
Social Influences
Social research
Socialization
Sociology
Stability
Stereotypes
Surveys
Transsexuality
Undergraduate Students
USA
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Summary:The most accepted explanation for gender differences is the sociocultural model that holds them to be results of socialization and/or occupancy of sex differentiated roles. There has been extensive social change in the past three decades, reducing sex typed role assignments and attitudes. However, examination of some 30 researches shows that the social change has not been followed by change in sex typing. This present study of trends in stereotypic and self responses between 1974 and 1997 confirms the stability in sex typing, over seven surveys and 4,000 respondents. In addition, there is evidence of increase in the perceived femininity of females. These results are contrary to the predictions from the sociocultural model. They are, however, consistent with the alternate evolutionary model postulating constant gendered differences based on genetic patterns evolved from adaptations to differing reproductive challenges of early males and females.
ISSN:0037-7732
1534-7605
DOI:10.1353/sof.2001.0077