GENDER-ROLE AND HOUSING PREFERENCES

This study was conducted to determine whether relationships exist betw een gender-role and housing preferences. One hundred and thirteen unde rgraduate students, 76 women and 35 men (2 subjects did not record the ir sex) completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory (Bem, 1981), a background questionnaire, and rated two sets of housing stimuli for residential preference. One set of eight houses was developed by Kinzy (Langdon, 1 982), the other set of six houses was used previously by Nasar (1989). Kinzy's eight houses comprised Modern, Contemporary, Mediterranean, T udor, Farm, Colonial, Early American and Ranch styles, whereas Nasar's were a Contemporary, Mediterranean, Tudor, Farm, Colonial, and Saltbo x. The results of this study reveal some support for the relationship between gender-role and housing preference, as well as some indication of the kinds of housing styles people prefer (and dislike). Related t o house style preferences, the results also indicate that architectura l renderings of a particular house style can influence these preferenc e judgments. Additional findings point to the fact that the kind of lo cale (suburban/rural or urban) in which one's family resides can influ ence housing preference. Some indication of regional preference differ ences also emerged.