SEX-ROLE PERCEPTIONS DURING ADOLESCENCE

Sex-role perceptions were examined by having 165 males and 141 females in Grades 7-12 respond to the Self-Esteem Inventory and the Nowicki-Strickland Adult Locus of Control Scale under 2 sets of instructions: (a) a standard set and (b) a set in which Ss were asked to respond as they thought a member of the same age and grade but of the opposite sex would respond. No sex differences were obtained on the 2 instruments under the standard set of instructions. Under opposite-sex instructions, however, both sexes credited males with being higher in self-esteem than females. On the locus of control scale, members of both sexes perceived themselves to be more internally controlled than members of the opposite sex. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.