Abstract
National college student data derived from the 1996 Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshman Survey and the 2000 College Student Survey were used to assess longitudinal changes in gender-role traditionalism across 4 years of college. Applying the Input–Environment–Outcome model to blocked stepwise regression analyses, the predictive value of students' precollege characteristics and predispositions, and various college environments and experiences, were assessed for men and women. Findings indicated that students' levels of traditionalism declined during college. Although men and women tended to change similarly on this dimension, women held more egalitarian views than did men at college entry and 4 years later. Regression results pointed to the relevance of peers, academic engagement, women's studies courses, and diversity experiences for students' gender-role attitudes 4 years after college entry.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Astin, A. W. (1993a). What matters in college: Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Astin, A. W. (1993b). Assessment for excellence: The philosophy and practice of assessment and evaluation in higher education. Phoenix, AZ: American Council on Education/Oryx Press.
Astin, A. W., Parrott, S. A., Korn, W. S., & Sax, L. J. (1997). The American freshman: Thirty year trends, 1966–1996. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA.
Baker, C. A., & Annis, L. V. (1980). Sex-role stereotyping and the feminism of education undergraduates. Southern Journal of Educational Research, 14, 79–87.
Bargad, A., & Hyde, J. S. (1991). Women's studies: A study of feminist identity development in women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 15, 181–201.
Bers, T. H. (1980). Perceptions of women's roles among community college women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 4, 492–507.
Buckner, D. R. (1981). Developing coed residence hall programs for sex-role exploration. Journal of College Student Personnel, 22, 52–54.
Corbett, M., Rudoni, D., & Frankland, E. G. (1981). Change and stability among college students: A three-year panel study. Sex Roles, 7, 233–246.
Etaugh, C. (1975). Biographical predictors of college students' attitudes toward women. Journal of College Student Personnel, 16, 273–275.
Etaugh, C. (1977, May). Development of sex-role attitudes. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Etaugh, C., & Spandikow, D. B. (1981). Changing attitudes toward women: A longitudinal study of college students. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 5, 591–594.
Etaugh, C., & Spiller, B. (1989). Attitudes toward women: Comparison of traditional-aged and older college students. Journal of College Student Development, 30, 41–46.
Funk, R. B., & Willits, F. K. (1987). College attendance and attitude change: A panel study. Sociology of Education, 60, 224–231.
Geffner, R. A., & McClure, R. F. (1990, April). Changing sex-role attitudes with education: Can it be done? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Dallas, TX.
Harris, K. L., Melaas, K., & Rodacker, E. (1999). The impact of women's studies courses on college students of the 1990s. Sex Roles, 40, 969–977.
Lottes, I. L., & Kuriloff, P. J. (1992). The effects of gender, race, religion, and political orientation on the sex-role attitudes of college freshmen. Adolescence, 27, 675–688.
Lottes, I. L., & Kuriloff, P. J. (1994). The impact of college experience on political and social attitudes. Sex Roles, 31, 31–54.
Lovejoy, M. (1998). "You can't go home again": The impact of women's studies on intellectual and personal development. NWSA Journal, 10, 119–138.
Lyson, T. A. (1986). Race and sex differences in sex role attitudes of southern college students. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 10, 421–427.
McHale, M. T. (1994, November). The impact of college on students' attitudes toward women's roles. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Tucson, AZ.
Morinaga, Y., Frieze, I. H., & Ferligoj, A. (1993). Career plans and gender-role attitudes of college students in the United States, Japan, and Slovenia. Sex Roles, 29, 317–333.
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1991). How college affects students: Findings and insights from twenty years of research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Renzetti, C. M. (1987). New wave or second stage? Attitudes of college women toward feminism. Sex Roles, 16, 265–277.
Rhoads, R. A. (1995). Whales tales, dog piles, and beer goggles: An ethnographic case study of fraternity life. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 26, 306–323.
Stake, J. E., & Rose, S. (1994). The long-term impact of women's studies on students' personal lives and political activism. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18, 403–412.
Steiger, J. C. (1981). The influence of feminist subculture in changing sex-role attitudes. Sex Roles, 7, 627–633.
Thomas, L. K., & Chambliss, C. (1998). Educating students about cultural differences in attitudes toward women: Comparing American and Japanese college students and their parents. Collegeville, PA: Ursinus College. (ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. ED 421 671).
Thomsen, C. J., Basu, A. M., & Reinitz, M. T. (1995). Effects of women's studies courses on gender-related attitudes of women and men. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19, 419–426.
Vedovato, S., & Vaughter, R. M. (1980). Psychology of women courses changing sexist and sex-typed attitudes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 4, 587–590.
Weeks, M. O., & Botkin, D. R. (1987). A longitudinal study of the marriage role expectations of college women: 1961–1984. Sex Roles, 17, 49–58.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bryant, A.N. Changes in Attitudes Toward Women's Roles: Predicting Gender-Role Traditionalism Among College Students. Sex Roles 48, 131–142 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022451205292
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022451205292