The Impact of Age vs. Life Experience on the Gender Role Attitudes of Women in Different Cohorts

ABSTRACT

Much research has concluded that the gender role attitudes of older women are more traditional in orientation. This line of research, however, has often confounded the impact of age and cohort. Consequently, cohort differences in life experiences have not been systematically explored. This study addresses the relationship between age and gender role attitudes, taking into account the potential mediating effects of life experiences and controlling for cohort. The conclusions suggest that the impact of age on gender role attitudes is not as strong as might be expected. Rather, the results show that the life experiences of different cohorts are better predictors of gender role attitudes among older women, though such experiences do not have the same impact on all women.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender roles
• sex roles
• gender stereotyping
• sex role stereotypes
• attitudes and life experience
• attitudes and cohorts
• older women
• aging women
• women's attitudes