Masculinity & femininity : their psychological dimensions, correlates, and antecedents

Janet T. Spence, Robert L. Helmreich

Many societies assign sharply distinguished roles to men and women. Personality differences, as well as physical differences, between men and women are used to justify these different sex roles. This bipolar conception has led to the definition of masculinity and femininity as opposites. Acceptance of this idea has caused social scientists and laypersons to consider men and women who possess cross-sex personality characteristics as less emotionally healthy and socially adjusted than those with sex-appropriate traits. The authors support a dualistic rather than a bipolar conception of these two psychological dimensions.