EXPECTANCY AND PERFORMANCE ON SEX-LABELED TASKS

Abstract

This study examined the relationship amongst gender, locus of control and sex-role identification as determinants of expectancy of success and performance on sex-typed tasks. It was hypothesized that adolescents would have higher expectancies of success and perform better on a sex-appropriate task than on a sex-inappropriate task. An internal locus of control and/or an 'androgynous' sex-role identification was expected to reduce susceptibility to sex-typed instructional set. It was also hypothesized that there would be a relationship between sex-role identification and locus of control. Individuals with an androgynous sex-role identification were expected to be more internal on the locus of control scale than individuals with sex-typed identifications.;Thirty-six male and 36 female eleventh graders participated in the study. The Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire, a locus of control scale, and Bem's Sex-Role Identification measure were administered first. Then expectancy of success and performance were assessed using three non-sex-typed tasks from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The participants rated expectancy of success on tasks labeled sex-appropriate, sex-inappropriate and neutral prior to performing each of the tasks.;The results supported the prevailing literature that both males and females have significantly higher expectancies ratings and actually perform better on sex-appropriate tasks. While males' expectancies on the sex-appropriate tasks were higher than those of the females', the females' expectancy ratings on the sex-inappropriate tasks were higher than the males'. However, both males and females did significantly better on sex-appropriate tasks than on sex-inappropriate tasks.;Neither an internal locus of control nor an androgynous sex-role identification reduced susceptibility to sex-role stereotyping of tasks in expectancy of success or performance. There was no interaction between locus of control and sex-role identification.;For these participants, the sex-typed instructional set was a stronger and more potent determinant of achievement expectations and subsequent performance than either the locus of control or sex-role identification variables.;These findings were discussed in relationship to sex-role socialization, education and occupational goals.