Date of Award
1986
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Abstract
Thirty-two males and females were tested for differences in their physiological responses to gender identity questions. The responses were recorded with a polygraph and scored to give an operationally defined measure of anxiety, labeled gender identity-anxiety. Gender-sensitive questions were divided into same-sex and cross-sex questions, and nongender questions were used for comparison. Two sex role orientation tests, the Bern Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS) were administered to determine if a conservative sex role orientation was associated with higher gender identity anxiety scores. Both males and females exhibited some anxiety to same-sex questions. Males demonstrated greater anxiety to cross-sex questions than did females. The BSRI did not predict, but the AWS did predict anxiety scores. Implications for the theory of femiphobia are discussed.
Extent
88 p.
Recommended Citation
WAGNER, JUDITH CHURCHMAN, "MALE/FEMALE DIFFERENCES IN GENDER IDENTITY ANXIETY - AS REFLECTED BY PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS MEASURED ON A POLYGRAPH" (1986). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1980 - 1989. 464.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_3/464
Identifier
FADT14306
Comments
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1986.|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1986.