GENDER-ROLE PORTRAYALS IN JAPANESE ADVERTISING - A MAGAZINE CONTENT-ANALYSIS

The authors report a content analysis that assessed gender role portra yals in advertisements from highest circulation Japanese magazines. Th ey found that, although some indigenous gender stereotyping was eviden t, several traits previously associated with Japanese women (devoted, obliging, rattle-brained, superstitious, thorough) were associated wit h men. Also, men were not linked with certain stereotypical male trait s (autocratic, blustery, forgiving, generous, severe). Other findings included women being shown in a positive way as often as men. In terms of common international stereotypes, women were not associated with l our priced products or portrayed as being more deferential than men. H owever, women still were portrayed as more concerned with appearance a nd as younger than men, were not depicted as product authorities, and were shown more often in sexist than in nonsexist depictions.