Variations in men's psychological sex role self-perception as a function of work, social and sexual life roles

Abstract

Research was conducted to determine whether or not sex role self-perception varied across life situations. Data including demographic information and situational and global sex role was collected from men employed at a large midwestern university. Findings indicate a significant variation in sex role self-perception across work, social and sexual interactions. Regardless of whether the man generally perceives himself as masculine, feminine, or androgynous, his perceptions may change when confronted with culturally stereotypic rules and role demands. The results suggest, first, that caution be exercised in assuming that global sex role perceptions generalize to various role situations and, second, that discrepancies between the global sex role and the situational sex role could result in role strain. The latter could have clear impact upon the dyadic sexual situation.