Appraisal of health risks: the roles of masculinity, femininity, and sex

The study examined the relationship between gender role orientation and appraisals of health risks. A random sample of college students from a U.S. university responded to the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Subjects also were presented with sets of scenarios that depicted health‐threatening events. They rated the extent to which different environmental events and the degree to which immediate illness symptoms posed a threat to their health. The ratings did not differ significantly between men and women or between individuals who were above versus below the median on the masculinity dimension. The one consistent result was an interaction between femininity and sex of subject ‐ highly feminine men exhibited the highest health concern ratings compared to the other subgroups. Additional analyses ruled out potential confounding variables. The findings suggest that the extent to which males are socialised toward greater femininity appears to lead to a heightened sense of awareness and concern about health compromising circumstances. Our results are consistent with a growing body of psychosocial literature showing the beneficial effects of femininity on health and illness outcomes.