Current gender stereotypes and their evaluative content

A sample of 173 undergraduate students rated 300 attributes to assess curre nt gender stereotypes, and a second independent sample (n=57) evaluated the favorability of these attributes. Statistical results indicated that the c ollege students ascribed different attributes to men and women. Although th e content of gender stereotypes seems to have remained unchanged over the y ears, the value attached to stereotypic gender traits seems to be changing. More specifically, a greater number of unfavorable attributes were used to describe men than women, thereby creating a more negative masculine stereo type.