Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Status and Gender: The Paradox of Progress in an Age of Narcissism

  • Feminist Forum
  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As women have gained status in Western cultures in the last few decades, they have increasingly endorsed stereotypically masculine instrumental/assertive traits. However, men have also endorsed these traits at a higher frequency and show only a weak trend toward embracing more stereotypically feminine expressive/communal traits. Overall, Western cultures have moved toward valuing instrumental/assertive traits and devaluing expressive/communal traits. The paradox of progress is that women’s status has increased at the same time that the expressive/communal traits traditionally ascribed to them have become devalued. Groups aiming to empower girls and women should consider scaling back the emphasis on instrumental/assertive traits and teaching both genders the value of expressive/communal traits.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aalsma, M. C., Lapsley, D. K., & Flannery, D. J. (2006). Personal fables, narcissism, and adolescent adjustment. Psychology in the Schools, 43, 481–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Astin, A.W., Oseguera, L., Sax, L.J., & Korn, W.S.(2002). The American Freshman: Thirty-five Year Trends. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA. Plus 2006 supplement.

  • Bachman, J., Johnston, L., & O’Malley, P.(2006). Monitoring the future: Questionnaire responses from the nation’s high school seniors, 2006 [and previous volumes]. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research.

  • Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Krueger, J. I., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4, 1–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bem, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155–162.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, W. K., Bosson, J. K., Goheen, T. W., Lakey, C. E., & Kernis, M. H. (2007). Do narcissists dislike themselves “deep down inside”? Psychological Science, 18, 227–229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diekman, A. B., & Eagly, A. H. (2000). Stereotypes as dynamic constructs: Women and men of the past, present, and future. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 1171–1188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekman, A. B., & Goodfriend, W. (2006). Rolling with the changes: A role congruity perspective on gender norms. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30, 369–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Families and Work Institute. (2006). Generation and Gender in the workplace. New York: American Business Collaboration.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, J. D., Campbell, W. K., & Twenge, J. M. (2003). Individual differences in narcissism: Inflated self-views across the lifespan and around the world. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 469–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerber, G. L. (2009). Status and gender stereotyped personality traits: Toward an integration. this issue: Sex Roles.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochshild, A. R., & Machung, A. (1989). The second shift. New York: Viking.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasen, S., Chen, H. N., Sneed, J., Crawford, T., & Cohen, P. (2006). Social role and birth cohort influences on gender-linked personality traits in women: A 20-year longitudinal analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 944–958.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lombardo, W. K., Cretser, G. A., & Roesch, S. C. (2001). For crying out loud—The differences persist into the ’90 s. Sex Roles, 45, 529–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nafstad, H. E., Blakar, R. M., Carlquist, E., Phelps, J. M., & Rand-Hendriksen, K. (2007). Ideology and power: The influence of current neo-liberalism in society. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 17, 313–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newsom, C. R., Archer, R. P., Trumbetta, S., & Gottesman, I. I. (2003). Changes in adolescent response patterns on the MMPI/MMPI-A across four decades. Journal of Personality Assessment, 81, 74–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, B. W., & Helson, R. (1997). Changes in culture, changes in personality: The influence of individualism in a longitudinal study of women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 641–651.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sayer, L. C., Bianchi, S. M., & Robinson, J. P. (2004). Are parents investing less in children? Trends in mothers’ and fathers’ time with children. American Journal of Sociology, 110, 1–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M. (1997a). Changes in masculine and feminine traits over time: A meta-analysis. Sex Roles, 36, 305–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M. (1997b). Attitudes toward women, 1970–1995: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 35–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M. (2001). Changes in women’s assertiveness in response to status and roles: A cross-temporal meta-analysis, 1931–1993. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 133–145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M. (2006). Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable Than Ever Before. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J.M. (2009). Birth cohort differences in the Monitoring the Future dataset: Further evidence for Generation Me. Perspectives in Psychological Science.

  • Twenge, J.M., Abebe, E.M., & Campbell, W.K.(2009). Fitting in or standing out: Trends in American parents’ choices for children’s names, 1880–2007. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2001). Age and birth cohort differences in self-esteem: A cross-temporal meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5, 321–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2009). The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M., & Foster, J. D. (2008). Mapping the scale of the narcissism epidemic: Increases in narcissism 2002–2007 within ethnic groups. Journal of Research in Personality, 42, 1619–1622.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J. M., Konrath, S., Foster, J. D., Campbell, W. K., & Bushman, B. J. (2008). Egos inflating over time: A cross-temporal meta-analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Journal of Personality, 76, 875–901.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-4611, USA

    Jean M. Twenge

Authors
  1. Jean M. Twenge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean M. Twenge.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Twenge, J.M. Status and Gender: The Paradox of Progress in an Age of Narcissism. Sex Roles 61, 338–340 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-009-9617-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-009-9617-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation