The Multiple Dimensions of Gender Stereotypes

Gender stereotypes, which are generalizations about what men and women are like and what roles they should fulfill in society, continue to be a barrier to gender equality in the workforce. These stereotypes are often characterized by two concepts: agency (such as being in control and taking charge) and communality (such as being attuned to the needs of others and motivated to build relationships). Research on whether gender stereotypes have changed in recent decades has had conflicting results, possibly due to a lack of consistency in how they are defined and measured. This study develops and implements a multidimensional framework for measuring different aspects of agency and communality in order to investigate contemporary gender stereotypes and understand how they may impact men's and women's self-perceptions and the perceptions of their gender groups.