The increasing presence of women in the public sphere has provoked cultural changes that affect social cognition. These changes implicate social organizations such as the Military. Focusing the interest in approaching modern forms of prejudice in terms of gender inequalities, we studied ambivalent sexism attitudes, values and social dominance orientation in a sample of 238 males and females from the National Military School training to become officials. Results show the presence of sexist attitudes. In sex roles and gender typing, female participants show an androgynous stereotype probably related to the need to present themselves closer to men in order to assume leadership. / El incremento de la presencia femenina en la esfera pública ha provocado cambios culturales que repercuten en la cognición social en términos de expectativas en función del género. Estos cambios interpelan a las organizaciones sociales entre las que se encuentran las Fuerzas Armadas. Desde las formas modernas del prejuicio, se desarrolló un estudio orientado a indagar actitudes de sexismo ambivalente, valores y dominancia social en un grupo de 238 cadetes de ambos sexos del Colegio Militar de la Nación. Los resultados muestran la presencia de actitudes sexistas. En roles sexuales y tipicidad de género las participantes mujeres muestran un estereotipo andrógino, asociado probablemente a la necesidad de presentarse de manera contra estereotípica para funcionar como líderes.

Research over the last few decades has consistently found that fathers are not routinely included in the provision of child welfare services. The current study examined whether ambivalent sexism on the part of child welfare workers was related to their beliefs about involving fathers. Ambivalent sexism theory posits that gender stereotypes include subjectively positive beliefs in addition to hostile beliefs that both serve to perpetuate patriarchal systems. Participants (N = 490) were currently front-line child welfare workers in the United States who completed an online survey assessing ambivalent sexism and beliefs about father involvement in child welfare cases. Ambivalent sexism was assessed using the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Ambivalence Toward Men Inventory. The Dakota Father Friendly Assessment was modified to assess beliefs about father involvement in child welfare. Latent class analysis was used to empirically derive four sexism profiles. Results indicated that participants with profiles suggesting less sexist beliefs had more positive attitudes about father involvement and had a lower preference for working solely with mothers. Sexism profile was not related to participants’ stated father involvement behaviors such as conducting home visits when fathers are present, including fathers in case planning discussions, and recruiting fathers or paternal relatives as placement options. Implications for social work and child welfare practice include developing training that increases knowledge of fathers’ importance and increases workers’ comfort in providing services to men.

There is a lack of female representation in video games, and women are often ignored as characters, as players, and as developers. This thesis investigates how the University of Skövde works with gender diversity in the second game project within those categories. A content analysis was carried out, and a total of 102 documents collected from the course site were coded. It was complemented with additional information from instructor interviews and a student survey. It was found that while there is an emotional commitment to diversity from the students as well as the instructors, there is a lack of clear guidelines and resources to create more nuanced portrayals of diversity. There is significant potential for improvements and a need for a continuous effort to follow up on the content produced.

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the initial screening process that occurs during dating interactions, and to measure the perceptions of different communication styles that individuals use during such interactions. A review of current literature focused on attractiveness of potential mates, ambivalent sexism theory, gender stereotypes, and communication theory. The present study examined how individuals view others’ approaches in initial dating interactions, and which of these approaches are most effective for increasing the target’s interest in spending time with the pursuer. A pilot study involving 45 undergraduate psychology students from Western Kentucky University was conducted to evaluate the validity of the Dating Initiation Questionnaire (DIQ), which was created for this study. In the final study, one hundred and fifty two undergraduate psychology students from Western Kentucky University completed measures of sexism, social desirability, and dating initiation preference. Results showed that both communication theory and ambivalent sexism theory were relevant in dating initiations. Consistent with previous communication research, assertive communication was rated as more effective than aggressive and passive communication in the initial interactions that occur in heterosexual dating initiations. This suggests it is best to use assertive communication as a first choice in dating interactions. Further analyses showed that females were more likely to rate assertive and passive initiations as more effective than aggressive dating initiations, while males were more likely than females to rate aggressive initiations as more effective than passive initiations, and to rate aggressive initiations as more effective than assertive initiations. Stronger ambivalent sexist beliefs were associated with higher ratings for aggressive dating initiations. Therefore, individuals who held negative attitudes toward non-traditional women and positive attitudes toward gender stereotypical women preferred aggressive dating initiations. Such individuals may approach others in an aggressive manner. One could argue that, to prevent such harassment, individuals should be educated about communication styles and gender equality. Future research should focus on applying such interventions to males and females, and on revising the intervention to suit individuals with sexist beliefs toward women and men.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the relationship of ambivalent sexism toward women and men and system justification with understanding of honor and attitudes toward violence against women for protecting honor. 351 undergraduate students from METU, Ankara and Gazi University participated in the study (180 females and 166 males). Participants&amp / #8217 / ages ranged from 17 to 30 (M=21.56). Data was collected by a questionnaire consisting of Understanding of Honor Scale / Attitudes toward Violence against Women for Protecting Honor Scale / Ambivalent Sexism Inventory which has two subscales of Hostile Sexism (HS) and Benevolent Sexism (BS) / and Ambivalence toward Men Inventory which has two subscales of Hostility toward Men and Benevolence toward Men (BM) / and Economic System Justification Scale and demographic information. Seperate linear regression analyses for males and females were performed in order to compare their responses. Results showed that among males, higher levels of HS and BM / and lower levels of HM / and among females, higher levels of BM and system justification predicted higher tendency to relate honor with women&amp / #8217 / s virginity and holding men responsible for protecting it. Regarding attitudes toward violence against women for protecting honor, males&amp / #8217 / scores were positively associated with BM, whereas females&amp / #8217 / scores were positively associated with BM and ESJ scores. The thesis aims to contribute to the literature by (1) investigating the concept of honor which has not been delt with in psychology literature / (2) introducing two newly developed scales: Understanding of Honor Scale and Attitudes toward Violence against Women for Protecting Honor Scale / and (3) making use of ambivalence toward men and women, and system justification theory while investigating the topic.

Hostile sexism is the antipathetic expression of sexism, in which men are antagonistic towards women who threaten their superiority. Benevolent sexism is the patriarchal expression of sexism, where men express protective, yet restrictive, attitudes towards women. Both forms of sexism originate from the view that women are inferior, frail, and only suited for nurturing or domestic responsibilities. Benevolent sexism may be more harmful to women because coping is thwarted by observers' underestimation of its effects (Bosson, Pinel, & Vandello, 2009). The present study aimed to examine women's responses to and recovery from hostile and benevolent sexism utilizing measures of cardiovascular reactivity and recovery. I predicted that women would exhibit greater reactivity to hostile sexism, but impaired recovery to benevolent sexism. Participants were 124 undergraduate women (50% Caucasian, age M = 18.92), with no history of cardiovascular health issues. Sexism condition - benevolent, hostile, or no sexism - was manipulated by exposing participants to comments made by a male experimenter. Cardiovascular responses were obtained during rest, task, and recovery periods. As predicted, women exhibited greater cardiovascular reactivity after exposure to hostile sexism, and women who experienced benevolent sexism showed impaired recovery, compared to the other two conditions. Findings illustrate that hostile sexism elicits immediate responses that resolve relatively quickly. However, benevolent sexism may be more pernicious in terms of psychological and physical health due to its prolonged effects.

Gender differences play an important role in the diversity that exists in our world today. Evan as infants, our young minds are able to grasp that there are large differences in the roles and expectations for males and females and that these differences contribute to the variety of experiences that we encounter in our interactions with the two genders. As we grown from children into adults, it is clear that the biased opinions we form regarding the opposite sex in childhood are too simplistic in their ideologies, and during the time that we mature into young adults, our opinions mature as well. Although there has been much research into the development of attitudes from childhood into adulthood, the role that self-esteem may play in the process has been somewhat neglected. This thesis explored the nature of self-esteem and tested its salience with regard to intergroup gender bias in children and ambivalent sexism in adults. In the child sample (n=20), intergroup gender bias was found to be correlated positively with global self-worth. In the adult sample (n=218), elevated levels of global self-worth were correlated with hostile sexism in females and with benevolent sexism in males. Surprisingly few types of specific self-esteem (self-perceived peer social competence, behavioral conduct, physical appearance, and athletic competence) were found to correlate with intergroup gender bias in children and ambivalent sexism in adults.

The aim of the thesis was to focus on sexual harassment in sport in Turkey and the role of ambivalent sexism on attitudes toward sexual harassment. 170 female university students, playing in team sports participated to the study. Demographic Information Form, Coach Behaviors List (CBL), Responses to Sexual Harassment in Sport (RSHS) Scale, Attitudes toward Sexual Harassment (ASH) Scale, and Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) were used in the study. Mean and standard deviations of coach behaviors and responses to sexual harassment were calculated in order to have descriptive information about the acceptance levels and frequency levels of them. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed unique predictions of age, political view, hostile sexism (HS), and benevolent sexism (BS) in female athletes&rsquo / attitudes toward viewing sexual harassment as the result of provocative behaviors of women (ASHPBW), but not in attitudes toward accepting sexual harassment as a trivial matter (ASHTM). ASHPBW, ASHTM, and HS were found as predictors of ASBC, but not for ANPTBC. In predicting the three dimensions of RSHS, years of sport experience, ASHPBW, ASHTM, and BS were found to be significant. This thesis mainly contributed to the literature by (1) development of RSHS scale, and adaptation of CBL for Turkey, (2) supporting the relationship between ASH and ambivalent sexist attitudes in sport environment, (3) investigating the predicting powers of ASHPBW, ASHTM, HS, and BS on acceptability of coach&rsquo / s negative behaviors, and (4) investigating the predictive powers of HS and BS on RSHS.

AMBIVALENT SEXISM, AMBIVALENCE TOWARD MEN AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AS PREDICTORS OF TURKISH COLLEGE STUDENTS&rsquo / ATTITUDES TOWARD MEN IN SOCIAL AND WOMEN IN NATURAL SCIENCES G&ouml / ker G&uuml / l&ccedil / &uuml / r M. S., Department of Psychology Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuray Sakalli - Ugurlu August 2006, 96 pages The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of ambivalent sexism, ambivalence toward men and demographic variables on attitudes toward men in social and women in natural sciences. 217 METU students participated in the study. Results of hierarchical regression demonstrated that sex, major, political view, department satisfaction and benevolence toward men (BM) significantly predicted attitudes toward men in social sciences / whereas sex, major, political view, hostile sexism (HS), hostility toward men (HM) and BM significantly predicted attitudes toward women in natural sciences. Additional analysis revealed main and interaction effects of sex and major on attitudes toward men in social sciences. Additional analysis also revealed main effects of sex and major on attitudes toward women in natural sciences. This thesis aims to contribute to literature by assessing (1) the relationship between sexismand attitudes toward individuals in gender atypical departments, and (2) the effects of demographic variables such as gender, major and political view on attitudes toward individuals in gender atypical departments.

Cette recherche articule les concepts de sexisme bienveillant et de rôle de sexe pour tenter d’expliquer pourquoi les hommes se montrent sexistes bienveillants envers les femmes et surtout pourquoi les femmes l’approuvent. Nous poursuivrons trois objectifs principaux. Dans la première partie de ce travail, nous ferons l’hypothèse que le sexisme bienveillant est en fait une composante du rôle de sexe des femmes et des hommes, avec des attentes différentes selon le sexe. La deuxième partie sera centrée sur les femmes. D’après la littérature, le sexisme bienveillant a des conséquences négatives pour elles. Nous chercherons à savoir si les femmes peuvent simplement le rejeter sans être jugées négativement. Nous postulerons que l'attitude d’une femme quant au sexisme bienveillant détermine si elle sera acceptée ou rejetée. Si elle ne l’approuve pas, alors elle perdra en féminité perçue parce qu’elle déviera de son rôle. Puis, nous établirons que réaffirmer son adhésion à son rôle de sexe lui permettra de rejeter le sexisme bienveillant sans être perçue comme déviante. Enfin, nous nous tournerons vers les hommes. Nous identifierons les circonstances dans lesquelles les femmes peuvent préférer les hommes anti-sexisme bienveillant et où les hommes perçoivent le sexisme bienveillant comme un désavantage. Neuf expériences réalisées sur un total de 684 personnes viendront valider ces hypothèses. Cette thèse propose une explication à l’acceptation et l’expression des attitudes et comportements de sexisme bienveillant observés dans la littérature et attire l'attention sur la difficulté pour les femmes de repousser cette forme spécifique de sexisme. / This research connects the concepts of benevolent sexism and sex roles to try to explain why men are benevolent sexists towards women and most importantly why women approve it. We will pursue three main goals. In the first part of this work, we will hypothesize that benevolent sexism is in fact a component of women’s and men’s sex role, with different expectations depending on one’s sex. The second part will be centered on women. According to the literature, benevolent sexism has negative consequences on them. We will seek to know if women can simply reject it without being judged negatively. We will hypothesize that a woman’s attitude regarding benevolent sexism determines whether she is accepted or rejected. If she does not approve of it, then she will be perceived as less feminine because she will be deviating from her role. Then, we will show that reaffirming her adhesion to her sex role will allow her to reject benevolent sexism without being perceived as a deviant. Lastly, we will turn to men. We will identify the circumstances in which women can prefer men rejecting benevolent sexism and where men perceive benevolent sexism as a disadvantage. Nine experiments made on a total of 684 people will confirm these hypothesizes. This thesis offers an explanation to the acceptance and the expression of benevolent sexist attitudes and behaviors observed in the literature and attracts reader’s attention to how difficult it is for women to reject this specific form of sexism.