HOSTILE AND BENEVOLENT SEXISM - MEASURING AMBIVALENT SEXIST ATTITUDESTOWARD WOMEN

A theory of sexism as ambivalence, not just hostility, toward women is presented. Ambivalent Sexism Theory distinguishes between hostile and ''benevolent'' sexism (each addresses issues of power, gender differe ntiation, and sexuality). Benevolent sexism encompasses subjectively p ositive (for the sexist) attitudes toward women in traditional roles: protective paternalism, idealization of women, and desire for intimate relations. Hostile sexism encompasses the negative equivalents on eac h dimension: dominative paternalism, derogatory beliefs, and heterosex ual hostility. Both forms of sexism serve to justify and maintain patr iarchy and traditional gender roles. The validity of a measure of thes e constructs, the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), is reviewed. Comp arisons are offered between the ASI and other measures of sexist attit udes (e.g., the AWS), with suggestions for the proper domains of diffe rent scales.