This study examined relations between college women's scores on femini
nity and their same-sex friendships and how these women's perceptions
were influenced by induction of success or failure. 200 undergraduate
women described themselves and their best friends on the dominance and
submissiveness scales of the Interpersonal Adjective Scales and also
completed the Behavioral Self-report of Femininity and a biographical
information sheet. Mean ratings of dominance were above average both f
or self and best-friend ratings, but these two dominance ratings mere
not significantly correlated. However, women viewed themselves as simi
lar to their best friends on submissiveness characteristics. Highly fe
minine women described themselves as more dominant than less feminine
women. Highly feminine women also experienced less anxiety and fatigue
as measured by the Profile of Mood States in response to failure indu
ction than less feminine women. Both sets of results are contrary to e
xpectations, but the behavioral definition of femininity was different
from that used earlier.