Ambivalent Sexism, Gender, and Major as Predictors of Turkish College Students' Attitudes Toward Women and Men's Atypical Educational Choices


Sakalli-Ugurlu N.

SEX ROLES, vol.62, pp.427-437, 2010 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 62
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s11199-009-9673-x
  • Journal Name: SEX ROLES
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.427-437
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate how ambivalent gender attitudes (hostile/benevolent sexism; hostility/benevolence toward men), plus gender and major predict attitudes toward men studying social sciences and women studying natural sciences in Turkey, where gender attitudes are relatively traditional. Undergraduates (N = 215, mean age = 21.16) completed scales of Ambivalent Sexism, Ambivalence toward Men, Attitudes toward Men in Social Sciences (AMSS), and Attitudes toward Women in Natural Sciences (AWNS). Although AMSS and AWNS were positive, men and natural-science majors had less positive AMSS and AWNS. Men in social sciences were perceived more negatively than women in natural sciences. Gender and hostile sexism predicted AWNS; gender, major, and benevolence toward men predicted AMSS. Implications for status relations are discussed.