Sex differences in Spaniard adolescents’ instrumental and expressive traits

Abstract

Extensive research has shown that people believe that men and women have different personality traits characterizing women with “expressive” traits and men with “instrumental” traits. Because of the controversial nature of this topic, this research examines sex differences in the expressive and instrumental traits of 634 adolescents aged between 14 to 18 years, who answered the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (Spence, Helmreich Stapp, 1974). The results show sex differences in self-identification with traditional values usually attributed to the other sex, also a change in the sex role stereotypes values, being the overcoming of the sexist stereotype clearer for girls who identified themselves with more instrumental traits.

Keywords

• instrumentalidad
• expresividad
• diferencias sexuales
• estereotipos de rol sexual