HYPERFEMININITY AND ATTRACTION TO MACHO AND NON-MACHO MEN

Traditional gender role socialization has been associated with involvement in sexual aggression. The Hyperfeminininity Inventory was developed to measure women's adherence to a traditional gender role. College women were divided into high hyperfeminine (n = 25) and low hyperfeminine (n = 25) groups based on their responses to the Hyperfemininity Inventory. Both groups read personality descriptions of a macho and non-macho man and rated their responses to men in three sexual scenarios involving no sexual, consensual sexual, or nonconsensual sexual interactions. As hypothesized, women low in hyperfemininity reported less attraction, liking as a husband and sex partner, and resemblance to past or current boyfriends of the macho male than did women high in hyperfemininity. Low hyperfeminine women compared to high hyperfeminine women reported less attraction, willingness to date, more anger, and less sexual arousal to the man in the nonconsensual sexual scenario. The risks associated with attraction to macho and coercive men are discussed.