Biological sex and gender role identity as predictors of spousal support provision: a scenario-based study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine biological sex (male versus female) and gender identity (masculine versus feminine) as predictors of support provision in marriage. Participants were 235 married individuals who completed scenario-based questionnaires designed to measure support provision across a broad range of daily stressors. Our results did not reveal differences between biological males and females in their support provision behaviour. However, a person's support provision was uniquely predicted by his/her gender identity. As compared to feminine individuals, masculine individuals reported providing higher levels of instrumental and unhelpful support for their spouse in distress. Furthermore, feminine individuals reported higher levels of emotional support provision than masculine individuals. This pattern of results appeared to be consistent across stressor type. The present findings contribute to the discussion concerning the origins of the support gap in marriage by revealing that it is not biological sex per se, but people's gender role socialization that determines their skilfulness as a support provider in intimate relationships.

Keywords:

• marital support gap hypothesis
• social support
• sex differences
• gender differences
• couples
• scenario-based study

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the reviewers at the Journal of Gender Studies for their valuable comments and suggestions for improving this paper.

Notes

 1. F(1, 231) = 0.30, ns

 2. F(1, 231) = 0.01, ns

 3. F(1, 231) = 0.01, ns

 4. F(1, 231) = 4.53, P = 0.03

 5. F(1, 231) = 10.56, P = 0.001

 6. F(1, 231) = 6.38, P = 0.01

 7. F(1, 231) = 0.03 ns

 8. F(1, 231) = 1.06 ns

 9. F(1, 231) = 0.01, ns

10. F(2, 230) = 3.46, P = 0.03

11. F(2, 230) = 8.64, P < 0.001

12. t(234) = 2.50, P = 0.01

13. t(234) = 3.20, P = 0.002

14. t(234) = 3.58, P < 0.001

15. t(234) = 6.04, P < 0.001