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American and Chinese College Students' Predictions of People's Occupations, Housework Responsibilities, and Hobbies as a Function of Cultural and Gender Influences

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Abstract

Predictions of people's occupations, housework responsibilities, and hobbies by American and Chinese college students reflected their sensitivity to the sex and gender information embedded in metaphors. Specific gender information, even when implicit, weighed more than general sex information, even when explicit, in the formation of social predictions. The gender-stereotyped prediction patterns were similar in the 2 countries, although the American students made more gender-typed predictions than did their Chinese counterparts, whereas the latter produced more gender-neutral predictions than did the former. The Chinese students' data were somewhat paradoxical, which might suggest the influence of mixed gender messages in their daily life. These cultural differences were true of all 3 domains of occupation, housework, and leisure activities. The evolutionary perspective and the sociocultural perspective were applied to explain the prediction patterns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Work and Psychology Department, University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois

    Ling-Yi Zhou, Michelle L. Dawson, Candace L. Herr & Sarah K. Stukas

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  1. Ling-Yi Zhou
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  2. Michelle L. Dawson
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Correspondence to Ling-Yi Zhou.

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Zhou, LY., Dawson, M.L., Herr, C.L. et al. American and Chinese College Students' Predictions of People's Occupations, Housework Responsibilities, and Hobbies as a Function of Cultural and Gender Influences. Sex Roles 50, 547–563 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SERS.0000023074.30947.92

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