The effect of self-consciousness on the expression of gender views

This study examines the effect of public self-consciousness on the expressi on of gender-role attitudes. It was hypothesized that high publics were mor e likely to alter their gender-view expressions to meet situational expecta tions than were high privates and that, under an activated state of public self-attention, people were more likely to alter their gender views. Tested in 156 college students in a quasi-experiment conducted in classrooms, the se hypotheses were supported only in work-related gender-role attitude expr essions, but not in domestic gender-view expressions. The experimental mani pulation of public self-consciousness in a classroom setting might have mad e work-related identities more salient. Correspondingly, participants were more responsive to regulating work but not domestic gender views.