Gender Role Conformity in College Women: Psychological Consequences of Femininity

Date of Award

Fall 3-25-2017

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Laura Meyer

Second Advisor

Thomas Barret

Third Advisor

Dina Matic

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

College women, Feminist self-identification, Self-esteem, Interpersonal submissiveness

Abstract

The aim of this study was to build upon past research on how contemporary college women are psychologically affected by gender role expectations, with specific interest in the expectation of being interpersonally submissive. Participants were 191 female undergraduate students who completed an online survey consisting of three empirically-validated instruments that measure facets of feminine gender-role conformity, elements of interpersonal submissiveness, and self-esteem. Results indicated that pursuing a thin body ideal, investment in appearance, sexual fidelity, and all dimensions of interpersonal submissiveness were negatively correlated with self-esteem. A regression analysis revealed that two dimensions of gender role norms, together with feminist self-identification, account for 45% of the variance in self-esteem for this population. Finally, potential risk and protective factors for self-esteem in college women were identified in the study. The potential protective factors included rejecting the following gender norms: judging the self by external standards, inhibiting self-expression and action to avoid conflict, presenting oneself as compliant in order live up to gender role expectations, pursuing a thin body ideal, and keeping sexual intimacy contained within one committed relationship. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Copyright Date

3-25-2017

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

Rights Holder

Jenna Shlachter

Provenance

Received from Author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

29 pgs

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