11.2.4

Gender Identities & BSRI

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Gender Identity

Gender identity is how people understand their own gender. It can be binary, non-binary, or gender fluid.

Sex and gender

Sex and gender

  • Sex is a biological classification, typically male or female, based on anatomy and chromosomes.
  • Gender is how a person acts, identifies themselves and what characteristics they take on.
  • Gender identity may or may not match the sex they were assigned at birth.
  • Understanding gender diversity helps psychologists study identity development and social influences.
Understanding gender identity

Understanding gender identity

  • The American Psychological Association defines gender as the socially constructed roles and behaviours linked to being male, female, or another identity.
  • Gender identity is how a person experiences and understands their own gender.
    • Gender identity is influenced by both social and biological factors.
    • Gender identity can change over time and differs across cultures.
Gender binary

Gender binary

  • Gender binary is the belief that there are only two genders: male and female.
  • Gender binary assumes that gender directly follows biological sex.
    • This idea has shaped many laws, traditions, and psychological theories.
  • Supporters argue that biological sex determines gender roles and behaviour.
  • Critics say the binary limits people’s identities and reinforces stereotypes.
Non-binary identities

Non-binary identities

  • Non-binary people do not identify fully as male or female.
    • Non-binary people may identify as both, neither, or somewhere in between.
  • Surveys show around 0.4% of adults in the UK identify as non-binary.
  • Some cultures recognise more than two genders.
    • For example the Hijra in India or Muxes in Mexico.
  • Recognising non-binary identities challenges the idea that gender must be binary.
Gender fluidity

Gender fluidity

  • A gender fluid person’s gender identity changes over time.
    • A gender fluid person’s gender expression (clothing, voice, behaviour) may vary from day to day.
    • This fluidity can reflect how someone explores or experiences their identity.
  • Psychologists such as Katz-Wise (2020) describe gender fluidity as dynamic and personal.
  • Gender fluid identities challenge fixed ideas of masculinity and femininity.

Modern Views On Gender

Gender is seen as a spectrum, influenced by culture, social learning, and media. Men and women are seen as more similar than different.

Measuring gender

Measuring gender

  • Sandra Bem (1975) created the The Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) to measure how masculine or feminine people saw themselves.
  • BSRI was one of the first attempts to measure gender identity scientifically.
Modern views on gender

Modern views on gender

  • Modern psychology views gender as a spectrum, not two fixed categories.
  • Shibley-Hyde (2005) proposed the Gender Similarities Hypothesis.
    • Shibley-Hyde (2005) found men and women are more alike than different in most traits.
    • Shibley-Hyde's (2005) research challenges gender stereotypes and the idea of large gender gaps.
  • Recognising similarities helps reduce bias and promote equality.
Cultural and social influences

Cultural and social influences

  • Culture strongly shapes how gender is understood and expressed.
  • Social learning theory says we learn gender roles by observing others.
    • Parents, peers, and the media reinforce gender expectations.
  • Some cultures recognise more than two genders, showing diversity.
  • Psychologists see gender as both personal and social, changing across contexts.

Measuring Gender Identity - Bem (1975)

Bem’s Sex Role Inventory (1975) measures masculine, feminine, and neutral traits to study gender identity.

Development of the questionnaire

Development of the questionnaire

  • Bem (1975) developed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI).
  • BSRI measured how strongly individuals identify with traits culturally associated with masculinity or femininity.
  • Participants rate themselves on a 7-point scale for 60 traits (20 masculine, 20 feminine, 20 neutral).
  • The questionnaire was an early attempt to operationalise gender identity, reflecting 1970s Western gender norms.
Criticisms of __Bem__

Criticisms of Bem

  • Critics of Bem’s work cite the fact that it is reductionist - meaning masculine and feminine traits are reduced down to single scores.
  • It is difficult to fully encapsulate femininity and masculinity in numbers.
Criticisms of __Bem__ cont.

Criticisms of Bem cont.

  • Another criticism would be that, when looking at the study through the lens of today’s norms of gender, it would be outdated.
  • The traits that were rated were what was desirable in the 1970s. It is difficult to generalise the data to today’s population.
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