Description of the Questionnaire

The questionnaire is based on the tool developed by Diekman & Eagly (2000) and aims to measure the dimensions of gender stereotypes. Participants are asked to evaluate, on a seven-point scale (1 = very unlikely to 7 = very likely), the extent to which the “average man” or the “average woman” possesses specific traits related to personality, cognitive abilities, physical characteristics, and negative personality.

Data Analysis and Use

The responses are grouped into four main dimensions: positive personality, cognitive characteristics, physical characteristics, and negative personality. The mean score of each group reflects the intensity of the stereotype in each dimension. The analysis may include comparisons by target gender (men vs. women), comparisons of participant sub-groups based on criteria such as age or educational level, as well as an evaluation of variability over time in order to study the dynamics of stereotypes.

Aim

The tool aims to capture perceptions of gender differences, to understand the extent to which stereotypes evolve over time, and to analyze the role played by social factors, such as occupational roles, in the shaping and reinforcement of stereotypes.

Calibration

Psychometric analysis demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α values ranging from .81 to .93 across dimensions. The scales have been validated in a series of studies (Diekman & Eagly, 2000), and the subscales, such as unmitigated communion and passive aggression, have been further employed in additional research (Spence, Helmreich, & Holahan, 1979; Diekman, Goodfriend, & Goodwin, 2004).

References

Diekman, A. B., & Eagly, A. H. (2000). Stereotypes as dynamic constructs: Women and men of the past, present, and future. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 1171–1188.
Cejka, M. A., & Eagly, A. H. (1999). Gender-stereotypic images of occupations correspond to the sex segregation of employment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 413–423.
Spence, J. T., & Helmreich, R. L. (1978). Masculinity & femininity: Their psychological dimensions, correlates, and antecedents. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R., & Holahan, C. K. (1979). Negative and positive components of psychological masculinity and femininity and their relationships to self-reports of neurotic and acting out behaviors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1673–1682.