While reading this chapter, you may have decided that your own personality reflects certain traits socially labeled as “masculine” and others viewed as “feminine.” If so, you are like many other people; relatively few individuals are 100 percent one or the other.
In the recent past, as psychologists have discarded some older assumptions about the nature of masculinity and femininity, the concept of androgyny has attracted considerable attention. Androgyny refers to the combined presence of both stereotypical feminine and masculine characteristics in one person. The word itself comes from two Greek roots: andro-, meaning male, and gyn-, meaning female.
Just what does it mean to say a person is androgynous? There is no firm agreement on this point among researchers. First, masculine and feminine traits could coexist but be expressed at different times. Kaplan and Sedney explain this dualistic model of androgyny as follows: “She or he might disagree forcefully and assertively with a colleague on a major issue of program development, but act comfortably and caringly toward that same person’s distress over a personal problem.” In other words, he or she acts typically male, then female. Or, feminine and masculine traits may exist in a fully integrated way within a person. Instead of alternating between feminine and masculine characteristics, the individual blends the two together. For example, an androgynous woman may initiate sexual activity (traditionally regarded as a “masculine” role) but do so in a style that is warm and sensitive (traditionally viewed as “feminine” traits). Thus, becoming androgynous does not imply losing the qualities associated with one’s gender and taking on those associated with the opposite sex. It involves developing those opposite-sex qualities that already exist within us and manifesting them in ways determined by our own-sex qualities.
Several recent studies by psychologists show that about one-third of college and high school students are androgynous. Spence and Helmreich found that androgynous individuals display more self-esteem, achievement orientation, and social competence than people who are strong in either masculinity or femininity, or those who have low scores in both areas. Furthermore, Bern’s research has shown that androgynous individuals seem to have more flexible behavior than people with more traditional masculine or feminine patterns. Likewise, there is evidence that androgynous females may have fewer psychological problem than masculine- or feminine-stereotyped persons.
However, androgyny may also have some disadvantages. A recent study of college assistant professors found that being androgynous was associated with greater personal satisfaction but an increased amount of work stress. Other researchers found that masculine males, rather than androgynous males, showed better overall emotional adjustment. Androgynous males had more drinking problems, while masculine males were more creative, less introverted, more politically aware, and felt more /in control of their behavior. Furthermore, androgyny does not necessarily lead to more effective behavior or problem-solving. In fact, a recent study of 236 college students found that androgyny does not help a person to be more versatile or adaptable; instead, it was found that for both sexes, the presence of “masculine personality characteristics, rather than the integration of masculinity and femininity, appears to be critical”
Confusing the issue even more is the fact that depending on how one measures self-esteem, different results may be obtained in studies of androgyny. With this research still in its infancy, it is too early to know if androgyny is a desirable goal for the future or a potential source of trouble. However, it does provoke many interesting questions about “traditional” male/female roles.
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