Changes in the Sex Role Attitudes of Women, 1962-1977: Evidence from a Panel Study

An analysis of data collected from a sample of 1161 white women in the Detroit area who were interviewed in 1962 and reinterviewed in 1977 revealed that the women had adopted more equalitarian attitudes toward sex roles during the 15 year period. Changes in attitude were more apparent when the women were questioned about their attitudes toward broad principles of sexual equality than when they were questioned about their attitude toward specific aspects of sex role behavior. Those women surveyed in 1962 who were younger those who had more education those who were married to men with higher educational levels and those who reported working in 1962 were more likely to have developed equalitarian attitudes by 1977. Women surveyed in 1962 who had large families at the time of the interview and adhered to fundamentalist Protestant beliefs were more likely to continue to hold traditional attitudes in 1977. The experience of women during the 15 year period also accounted for some of the attitude shifts. Those who had acquired additional education and those who reported working at some time during the 15 year period were more likely to develop equalitarian attitudes than those who did not acquire additional education or work experience during the 15 year interim. Tables present 1) correlations between selected socioeconomic and educational variables and changes in sex role attitudes; 2) % distribution of women by sex role attitudes for 1962 and 1977; and 3) distribution of women by selected socioeconomic and educational characteristics for 1962.