Analysis

The analysis of the BAWS focuses on assessing the emotions and beliefs expressed by participants about women. It measures their positive or negative attitudes toward issues of gender equality, professional opportunities, and social roles. The analysis of the results can reveal whether a person’s beliefs align with modern views on equality or whether they may be associated with more traditional and restrictive attitudes.

Purpose

The main purpose of the BAWS is to provide a quantitative measurement of beliefs about women in order to better understand the social attitudes that influence gender equality. It also aims to identify and examine the potential effects of these beliefs on a personal, professional, and social level. The tool can be used for research purposes or to evaluate the effectiveness of educational and social interventions.

Scoring

Scoring of the BAWS involves evaluating participants’ responses using a Likert scale, typically with five or seven levels, where participants express their agreement or disagreement with various statements related to women. The results are usually analyzed using statistical methods to determine the degree of positive or negative attitudes a person holds. The reliability and validity of the tool are important for accurately interpreting the results.

References

Snell, W. E., Jr. & Godwin, L. (1993). Social reactions to depictions of casual and steady acquaintance rape: The impact of AIDS exposure and stereotypic beliefs about women. Sex Roles, 29, 599-616. Snell, W. E., Jr., Holtzman, W., Jr., Belk, S. S., Garcia, R., & Hernandez, J. E. (1990). The influence of counseling orientation and culture on mental health standards for women and men. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 14, 73-88. Belk, S. S., & Snell, W. E., Jr. (1989). Stereotypic beliefs about women as moderators of stress-distress relationships. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 665-672. Belk, S. S., Snell, W. E., Jr., Holtzman, W. H., Jr., Garcia-Falconi, R., & Hernandez-Sanchez, J. E. (1989). The impact of ethnicity, nationality, therapy orientation, and mental health standards on stereotypic beliefs about women: A pilot study. Sex Roles, 21, 671-695. Belk, S. S., & Snell, W. E., Jr. (1986). Beliefs about women: Components and correlates. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 12, 403-412. Belk, S. S., & Snell, W. E., Jr. (1986). The Beliefs About Women Scale (BAWS): Scale development and validation. Social and Behavioral Sciences Documents, 16, 10. Hampton, B., Lambert, F., & Snell, W. E., Jr. (1986). Therapists’ conceptions of mentally healthy beliefs for women and men. Journal of Rational – Emotive Therapy, 4, 107-124.