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Attitude toward women in Turkey: Combined effect of sex, place, and culture

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Abstract

We examined the combined effect of sex and gender socialization, place and political orientation, and culture (individualism-collectivism) on Turkish students’ attitudes toward women (ATW). A convenience sample of 3235 students from 16 universities in Turkey was presented with the Turkish versions of the ATW Scale, the Bem Sex Roles Inventory, and the Individualism-Collectivism scale. A stepwise regression analysis showed that sex, level of political conservatism in the area, vertical collectivism, and horizontal individualism explained 31% of the variance in ATW. Being a male or being a female was a stronger predictor of ATW than the level of masculinity-femininity. Participants living in politically conservative areas and participants high in vertical collectivism (emphasis on hierarchy and inequality in society) expressed more traditional views than participants living in less conservative areas and those low in vertical collectivism. Sex and vertical collectivism interacted: Among males, the impact of vertical collectivism on ATW was stronger than it was among females. A complex model of effects is suggested in which negative ATW in Turkey depends on (a) place and (b) sex in interaction with culture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus, Guzelyurt, KKTC, via Mersin 10, Turkey

    Aslı Bugay

  2. California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Rakel Delevi

  3. Institute of Advanced Studies (EPHE), Paris, France

    Etienne Mullet

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  1. Aslı Bugay
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  2. Rakel Delevi
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  3. Etienne Mullet
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Correspondence to Etienne Mullet.

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Authorization for the study was obtained from the University Human Subjects Committee of TED University of Ankara on August 2, 2013, and by the heads of the 16 colleges of education that participated in the study.

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Bugay, A., Delevi, R. & Mullet, E. Attitude toward women in Turkey: Combined effect of sex, place, and culture. Curr Psychol 40, 3284–3292 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00273-2

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