Ambivalent sexism, ambivalence toward men and demographic variables as predictors of Turkish college students' attitudes toward men in social and women in natural sciences

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology, Turkey

Approval Date: 2006

Student: GÖKER GÜLÇÜR

Supervisor: NURAY SAKALLI UĞURLU

Abstract:

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.