Abstract
This study examined men's gender role factors (i.e., gender role orientation and gender role conflict) as they contribute to the formation of either traditional, participant, or rolesharing family roles in men. Responses from 71 married, mostly Caucasian, dual-career family men on measures of gender role orientation, gender role conflict, and measures of participation in child care and management of the household were analyzed. Results indicated that (a) rolesharing husbands were more likely to view their wives' interests as equal to their own as compared to participant and traditional husbands; (b) rolesharing husbands had less traditional attitudes about husbands'/fathers' authority than traditional husbands; and (c) traditional husbands reported greater pressure to be successful, powerful, and competitive compared to rolesharing and participant husbands.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1989). Attachments beyond infancy.American Psychologist, 44 709–716.
Baruch, G. K., & Barnett, R. C. (1987). Determinants of father's participation in family work.Journal of Marriage and Family, 49 29–40.
Bird, G., Bird, G., & Scruggs, M. (1984). Determinants of family task sharing: A study of husbands and wives.Journal of Marriage and Family 46 345–355.
Bowlby, J. (1969).Attachment and loss: Vol 1. Attachment. New York: Basic Books.
Cournoyer, R. J., & Mahalik, J. R. (1995). Cross-sectional study of gender role conflict examining college-aged and middle-aged men.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42 11–19.
Davis, F. (1988). Antecedents and consequents of gender role conflict: An empirical test of sex-role strain analysis. (Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University).Dissertation Abstracts International, 48/11 3443.
Gilbert, L. A. (1985).Men in dual-career families: Current realities and future prospects. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Gilbert, L. A., & Rachlin, V. (1987). Mental health and psychological functioning of dual-career families.The Counseling Psychologist, 15 7–49.
Good, G. E., Dell, D. M., & Mintz, L. B. (1989). Male role and gender role conflict: Relations to help seeking in men.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 36 295–300.
Good, G. E., & Mintz, L. B. (1990). Depression and gender role conflict.Journal of Counseling and Development, 69 17–21.
Good, G. E., Robertson, J. M., O'Neil, J. M., Fitzgerald, L. F., Stevens, M., Debord, K. A., Bartels, K. M., & Braverman, D. G. (1995). Male gender role conflict: Psychometric issues and relation to psychological distress.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42 3–10.
Haas, L. (1980). Role-sharing couples: A study of egalitarian marriage.Family Relations, 29 289–296.
Haas, L. (1982). Determinants of role-sharing behavior: A study of egalitarian couples.Sex Roles, 8 747–760.
Huber, J., & Spitz, G. (1983).Sex stratification: Children. housework, and jobs. New York: Academic Press.
Levinson, D. J., Darrow, C. N., Klein, E. B., Levinson, M. H., & McKee, B. (1978).The seasons of a man's life. New York: Knopf.
Morgan, K., & Hock, E. (1984). A longitudinal study of psychosocial variables affecting the career patterns of women with young children.Journal of Marriage and Family, 46 383–390.
O'Neil, J. M. (1981a). Male sex-role conflicts, sexism, and masculinity: Psychological implications for men, women, and the counseling psychologist.The Counseling Psychologist, 9 61–81.
O'Neil, J. M. (1981b). Patterns of gender role conflict and strain: Sexism and fear of femininity in men's lives.Personnel and Guidance Journal, 60 203–210.
O'Neil, J. M. (1982). Gender role conflict and strain in men's lives: Implications for psychiatrists, psychologists, and other human service providers. In K. Solomon & N. B. Levy (Eds.),Men in transition: Changing male roles, theory, and therapy (pp. 5–44). New York: Plenum Press.
O'Neil, J. M. (1990). Assessing men's gender role conflict. In D. Moore & F. Leafgren (Eds.),Problem solving strategies and interventions for men in conflict. Alexandria, VA: American Association for Counseling and Development.
O'Neil, J. M., Fishman, D. M., & Kinsella-Shaw, M. (1987). Dual career couples' career transitions and normative dilemmas: A preliminary assessment.The Counseling Psychologist, 15 50–96.
O'Neil, J. M., Helms, B., Gable, R., David, L., & Wrightsman, L. (1986). Gender role conflict scale: College men's fear of femininity.Sex Roles, 14 335–350.
Peplau, L. A. (1983). Roles and gender. In H. H. Kelley and colleagues (Eds.)Close relations (pp. 220–264). New York: Freeman Press.
Perucci, C., Potter, H., & Rhoads, D. (1978). Determinants of male family role performance.Psychology of Women Quarterly, 3 53–66.
Robertson, J. M., & Fitzgerald, L. F. (1992). Overcoming the masculine mystique: Preferences for alternative forms of assistance among men who avoid counseling.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 39 240–246.
Sharpe, M. J., & Heppner, P. P. (1991). Gender role, gender role conflict, and psychological well-being in men.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38 323–330.
Silberstein, L. R. (1992).Dual-career marriage: A system in transition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Smith, T. W. (1985). Working wives and women's rights: The connection between the employment status of wives and the feminist attitudes of husbands.Sex Roles, 12 501–508.
Spence, J. T., & Helmreich, R. L. (1978).Masculinity and femininity: Their psychological dimensions, correlates, and antecedents. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
Stafford, R., Backman, E., & Dibona, P. (1977). Division of labor among cohabitating and married couples.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 39 43–57.
Steinem, G. (1983).Outrageous acts and everyday rebellions. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
Tomeh, A. K. (1978). Sex-role orientation: An analysis of structural and attitudinal predictors.Journal of Marriage and Family, 40 341–354.
Tomeh, A. K., & Gallant, C. (1984). Familial sex role attitudes: A French sample.Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 15 389–405.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (1992).Labor force statistics derived from the current population survey. A databook. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
Weaver, C. (1978). Job satisfaction as a component of happiness among males and females.Personnel Psychology, 31 831–840.
Wisch, A., Mahalik, J. R., Hayes, J., & Nutt, E. (1995). The impact of gender role conflict and counseling technique on psychological help seeking in men.Sex Roles, 33 77–89.
Wright, L. (December, 1985). I want to be alone.Texas Monthly, pp. 164, 166, 168.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
With the exception of the proper name “Sex Role Inventory”, the term “gender role” was used throughout the text in place of “sex role.” The two authors contributed equally to this article. We wish to thank Mary Brabeck for her feedback on an earlier version of this paper.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mintz, R.D., Mahalik, J.R. Gender role orientation and conflict as predictors of family roles for men. Sex Roles 34, 805–821 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544317
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544317