Sex-Role Identity and Sex: An Important Distinction for Research on Women in Management

Studies which have investigated sex effects on leader behavior and outcome variables have yielded apparently contradictory results. A possible explanation is that sex-role identity is a better predictor than sex. Individuals who follow sex-role stereotypes may be highly sex-typed (either masculine or feminine) in sex-role identity, whereas those who do not may be less sex-typed. This study determined the effects of sex-role identity and sex on the description of a good manager. Sex-role identity was measured by masculinity and femininity scales of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI). As hypothesized, sex-role identity had a significant effect and sex had little effect on good-manager-descriptions. The results suggest that further research on leadership should include sex-role identity as a predictor variable.