Analysis

The Proportion of Lifetime Experiences of Sexism (POLEOS) is a tool designed to evaluate the frequency and impact of sexist experiences that individuals encounter throughout their lives. This scale focuses on understanding the scope and severity of sexist experiences and their effects on individuals’ psychological and emotional well-being.

Objective

The aim of the scale is to:
Assess the Frequency of Sexist Experiences: Measure how often and to what extent individuals have experienced sexism at different stages of life.
Understand the Impact: Analyze how these experiences affect psychological and emotional well-being, as well as the shaping of personal and professional relationships.
Support Educational Programs: Promote the development of awareness and support programs aimed at reducing sexism and empowering those who have faced discrimination.
Promote Social Awareness: Contribute to understanding the social structures that maintain sexist practices and strengthen efforts for social change.

Scoring

The scale includes statements and questions that participants rate using a Likert scale from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). The statements cover various situations and incidents of sexism, and total scores provide an estimate of the frequency and impact of sexist experiences.

References

Swim, J. K., & Hyers, L. L. (1999). Excuse Me—What Did You Just Say?!: Women’s Public and Private Responses to Sexist Remarks. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 35(1), 68–88.
Fischer, A. R., & Holz, K. B. (2007). Perceived Discrimination and Women’s Psychological Distress: The Roles of Collective and Personal Self-Esteem. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54(2), 154–164.
Moradi, B., & Subich, L. M. (2002). Feminist Identity Development Measures: Comparing the Psychometrics of Three Instruments. The Counseling Psychologist, 30(1), 66–86.
Klonoff, E. A., & Landrine, H. (1995). The Schedule of Sexist Events: A Measure of Lifetime and Recent Sexist Discrimination in Women’s Lives. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19(4), 439–472.
Swim, J. K., Cohen, L. L., & Hyers, L. L. (1998). Experiencing Everyday Prejudice and Discrimination. Handbook of Diversity Issues in Health Psychology, 37–53.