Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in
Menu
Find a journal Publish with us Track your research
Search
Saved research
Cart
  1. Home
  2. Sex Roles
  3. Article

Feminists and traditionalists: An attitudinal comparison

  • Published: February 1981
  • Volume 7, pages 183–188 (1981)
  • Cite this article

Access provided by Institution of Civil Engineers Library

Download PDF
View saved research
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript
Feminists and traditionalists: An attitudinal comparison
Download PDF
  • M. Dwayne Smith1 &
  • George D. Self2 
  • 215 Accesses

  • 30 Citations

  • 3 Altmetric

  • Explore all metrics

Abstract

Comparisons are made between self-identified feminists and traditionalists on an attitudinal inventory scale. Feminists are found to display a more consistent sex-role ideology as measured by inter-item consistency. Traditionalists believe in labor and political equality, but differ from feminists in regard to relations with men and notions of domestic roles. The findings suggest that a more consistent sex-role ideology among women should occur with increased feminist identification. However, stereotypes and misunderstandings concerning feminism may prevent this development among many women.

Article PDF

Download to read the full article text

Similar content being viewed by others

That is What a Feminist Looks Like: Identification and Exploration of the Factors Underlying the Concept of Feminism and Predicting the Endorsement of Traditional Gender Roles

Article 26 July 2019

The Discrepancy Between How Women See Themselves and Feminists Predicts Identification with Feminism

Article 14 January 2017

Ethical Life and the Feminist Critic

Chapter © 2022

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, books and news in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.
  • Feminist Literary Theory
  • French Feminism
  • Feminism and Feminist Theory
  • Feminist Economics
  • Feminist Theology
  • Feminist Anthropology
  • Feminist Identity Development and Collective Action

References

  • Cherniss, C. Personality and ideology: A personological study of women's liberation. Psychiatry, 1972, 35, 109–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, A. R. Attitude change and social influence. New York: Basic Books, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Decter, M. The new chastity and other arguments against women's liberation. New York: Capricorn, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dempewolff, J. A. Some correlates of feminism. Psychological Reports, 1974, 34, 671–676.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, P. A., Gottesdiener, M., & Abramson, P. R. Another put-down of women?: Perceived attractiveness as a function of support for the feminist movement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1975, 32, 113–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gump, J. P. Comparative analysis of black women's and white women's sex-role attitudes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975, 43, 858–863.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesselbart, S. A comparison of attitudes toward women and attitudes toward Blacks in a Southern city. Sociological Symposium, 1976, (17), 45–68.

  • Jacobson, M. B., & Koch, W. Attributed reasons for support of the feminist movement as a function of attractiveness. Sex Roles, 1978, 4, 169–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, K. O., & Bumpass, L. L. U.S. women's sex-role ideology, 1970. American Journal of Sociology, 1975, 80, 1212–1219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, K. O., Czajka, J. L., & Arber, S. Change in U. S. women's sex-role attitudes, 1964–1974. American Sociological Review, 1976, 41, 573–596.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, C. S. Support for the goals of the women's rights movement among Oklahoma college students. Paper presented at the meeting of the Southwestern Sociological Association, Dallas, April 1976.

  • Osmond, M. W., & Martin, P. M. Sex and sexism: A comparison of male and female sex-role attitudes. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1973, 37, 744–758.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parelius, A. P. Emerging sex-role attitudes, expectations, and strains among college women. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1975, 37, 146–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, C. Women's sex-role attitudes: A historical perspective. New Directions for Higher Education, 1975, 11, 1–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruble, D. N., Croke, J. A., Frieze, I., & Parsons, J. E. A field study of sex-role attitude change in college women. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1975, 5, 110–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E. R., Ferree, M. M., & Miller, F. D. A short scale of attitudes toward feminism. Representative Research in Social Psychology, 1975, 6, 51–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tavris, C. Who likes women's liberation—and why: The case of the unliberated liberals. Journal of Social Issues, 1973, 29, 175–198.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Tulane University, 70118, New Orleans, Louisiana

    M. Dwayne Smith

  2. Near East Bureau, Agency for International Development, USA

    George D. Self

Authors
  1. M. Dwayne Smith
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. George D. Self
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Smith, M.D., Self, G.D. Feminists and traditionalists: An attitudinal comparison. Sex Roles 7, 183–188 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287804

Download citation

  • Issue date: February 1981

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287804

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Keywords

  • Social Psychology
  • Inventory Scale
  • Political Equality
  • Domestic Role
  • Feminist Identification

Advertisement

Search

Navigation

  • Find a journal
  • Publish with us
  • Track your research

Footer Navigation

Discover content

  • Journals A-Z
  • Books A-Z
  • Subjects A-Z

Publish with us

  • Journal finder
  • Publish your research
  • Language editing
  • Open access publishing

Products and services

  • Our products
  • Librarians
  • Societies
  • Partners and advertisers

Our brands

  • Springer
  • Nature Portfolio
  • BMC
  • Palgrave Macmillan
  • Apress
  • Discover

Corporate Navigation

  • Your US state privacy rights
  • Accessibility statement
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Help and support
  • Legal notice
  • Cancel contracts here

172.71.28.153

ICE Institution of Civil Engineers (3000167333) - Institution of Civil Engineers Library (2000027800)

Springer Nature

© 2026 Springer Nature