Predicting Sex Role Attitudes

Variance in sex role attitudes among a national sample of 1,522 women is investigated using a scale of attitudes toward the appropriate role of women as the dependent variable in a multiple regression analysis. Exchange theory would predict that the traditional orientation toward women, being most costly today, is likely to be less favored by women with the most available alternatives. The findings indeed show that those who supported a traditional role for women were older, less educated, had lower incomes, and lower feelings of personal competence.