Relationship of Sex-Role Stereotypes and Self-Actualization

Self-actualization is an illusive construct that has been the focus of many personality theories. Rogers (1951) conceptualized a self-actualized person as one who is efficient in self-expression in interpersonal relations. Maslow (1971) has hypothesized that the self-actualized person makes no real strong differentiation berween the roles and personality appropriate for either sex. Some empirical evidence exists that strong sex-role stereotypes restrict the individual's flexibility of expression (Btm, 1974). Conversely. the androgynous individual or one who is free of rigid sex roles seems better prepared to deal with new interpersonal situations. Although there appears to be a relationship between androgyny and self-actualization, little has been published on its nature. The present study examined the differences in androgyny among groups of adults of high and low self-actualization. Subjects were 32 male and 32 female graduate volunteers attending Arizona State University. All 64 subjects were administered both the Personal Orientation Inventory (Shostrom, 1964) and the Bem Sex-role Inventory (Bem, 1974) using a counterbalanced procedure. On the basis of self-acmalization scores obtained from the Shostrom scale, the group was divided at the med~an into high and low self-actualized groups wich 32 subjects per group. Mean androgyny scores from Bem's scales were calculated for both groups and berween group differences evaluated by using a t ratio. Specifically, an androgyny score is the difference becween an individual's masculine and feminine self-endorsement, an ideal score being zero. The mean androgyny score for the high self-actualized group, -.07 (SD = 1.05), was significantly nearer zero than that of the low self-actualized group, -.78 (SD = .84; t~ = 2.18, p < .05). A further analysis showed no significant difference becween males and females on either androgyny or self-actualization scores. These results provide tenmtive support for the contention that individuals who are highly self-actualized are also free from strong sex-role stereotypes. Perhaps, traditional concepts of masculinity and femininity restrict an individual's flexibility in self-expression in new interpersonal situations. Androgyny may expand the range of behavior for both sexes, permitting people to respond more effectively in diverse situations.