Role theory and the female sex role

Women's sex-role perceptions and behavior were studied from the perspective of role theory, with an emphasis on examining the situational nature of female sex roles and the degree of consensus among women concerning female sex roles. The perceived appropriateness and expected outcome for sex-role characteristics and the actual enactment of masculine and feminine behaviors were examined for women in social and work situations. It was hypothesized that feminine behaviors prevail in social situations and masculine behaviors in work situations. This hypothesis was clearly supported for perceived appropriateness and actual behavior, but not for expected outcome. For this variable, the predicted pattern was found only in the social situation. It was also hypothesized that the degree of consensus across women is higher for feminine than for masculine characteristics, but this pattern was found only for perceived appropriateness and actual behavior in the social situation.This article is based on a dissertation submitted to the University of Florida in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree. Portions of this work were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in September 1976. The author would like to express her appreciation to Lawrence J. Severy and Marvin E. Shaw for their advice throughout this study.