Cheers to Equality! Both Hostile and Benevolent Sexism Predict Increases in College Women's Alcohol Consumption

Exploring the Endorsement of Gender Stereotypes and Physical Activity in Young Women

Background

Physical behaviors (PBs), defined as physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB), are consistently less favorable in women than men. Extensive qualitative research has identified gender norms as a well-known barrier to women's PA, but they have yet to be clearly conceptualized and quantified. The purpose of this study was to (1) investigate the relationship between benevolent sexism endorsement (BSE) and PB, (2) explore women's experiences with sexism in PA settings, and (3) identify sexism constructs within focus group discussions.

Methods

Participants completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (0-5 scale) and wore a hip-worn activity monitor for 7 days. Spearman correlations were calculated between BSE and PB. A 90-minute focus group (n = 4) was transcribed and coded to identify themes and sexism constructs.

Results

Participants (n = 20, 20.7 ± 1.3 years) exceeded PA guidelines and reported low BSE scores (1.8 ± 0.76). Weak associations were found between BSE and objectively measured PA (r = -0.19 to r = -0.37) and ST (r = 0.14). Focus group results yielded four themes: (1) Age-Related Decline in PA, (2) Parental Roles, (3) Peer Relationships/Friendships, and (4) Physical Education Teachers/Coaches.

Conclusion

As hypothesized, associations between BSE and PA outcomes and SB were negative and positive, respectively. Focus group themes were related to benevolent sexism constructs. Future research should be conducted in larger, more diverse samples and consider other factors that may impact one's endorsement of benevolent sexism.

Sexism and alcohol-related problems among women: The role of social anxiety and coping motivated drinking

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Experiencing sexism is related to more alcohol-related problems, presumably via drinking to cope with negative affect associated with experiencing sexism. Yet no known studies have directly tested whether the relation of sexism to alcohol problems occurs via relevant negative emotions and drinking to cope with negative emotions. Given that sexism is a type of negative evaluation, social anxiety may be one type of negative affect that plays a role in sexism's relation with drinking behaviors.

METHOD

This study tested whether sexism was related to alcohol-related problems via the serial effects of social anxiety and coping-motivated alcohol use among 836 cis-female undergraduates who endorsed past-month alcohol use.

RESULTS

Past-year experiences with sexism were positively correlated with coping and conformity-motivated alcohol use, alcohol problems (but not peak estimated blood alcohol content, eBAC), social anxiety, and depression. After statistically controlling for depression and peak eBAC, sexism was indirectly related to alcohol problems via the serial effects of social anxiety and drinking motives (coping, conformity).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight the important role of social anxiety and drinking to cope with negative emotions and to fit in with peers who drink in relation of sexism with alcohol-related problems.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

This is the first known study to find that experiences of sexism are related to alcohol problems via the serial effects of social anxiety and coping and conformity-motivated drinking. This is also the first known study to find that sexism is related to more conformity-motivated drinking.

Is Support for Feminism Enough for Change? How Sexism and Gender Stereotypes Might Hinder Gender Justice

Even though formal processes (i.e., gender quotes) are necessary to achieve gender justice, attitudinal changes (i.e., support of egalitarian social norms) are also essential. The endorsement of sexism and gender stereotypes perpetuate inequality on a daily basis, and can be seen as barriers that prevent societies from reaching social justice. Therefore, changing sexist social norms can be understood as a fundamental step in accomplishing gender justice. With the aim of studying Chileans’ sexist norms, we conducted a survey with a representative sample (N = 490) exploring levels of sexism and gender stereotypes, as well as support for the feminist movement. Using Latent Profile Analysis, we identified four groups of citizens: (1) a first group that shows high levels of sexism and low support for the feminist movement (9%); (2) a second group, with low levels of sexism and high support for the feminist movement (20%); (3) a third group with high levels of sexism and high support for the feminist movement (65%); and (4) a fourth group with mid-levels of sexism and support of the feminist movement (6%). We called these groups the Sexist, Feminist, Inconsistent, and Moderate Group, respectively. The four groups showed similar high endorsement of gender stereotypes. These results are twofold. First, they hint that although nowadays gender equality seems to be generally accepted, this coexists with a high prevalence of sexist social norms, represented by the inconsistent group being the most prevalent. Second, gender stereotypes are still deeply rooted in Chilean culture, surprisingly even among feminist citizens.

The Relational Wear and Tear of Everyday Racism Among African American Couples

The wear and tear of adapting to chronic stressors such as racism and discrimination can have detrimental effects on mental and physical health. Here, we investigated the wider implications of everyday racism for relationship quality in an adult sample of 98 heterosexual African American couples. Participants reported on their experiences of racial discrimination and positive and negative affect for 21 consecutive evenings. Using dyadic analyses, we found that independently of age, gender, marital status, income, racial-discrimination frequency, neuroticism, and mean levels of affect, participants' relationship quality was inversely associated with their partner's negative affective reactivity to racial discrimination. Associations did not vary by gender, suggesting that the effects of affective reactivity were similar for men and women. These findings highlight the importance of a dyadic approach and call for further research examining the role of everyday racism as a key source of stress in the lives of African American couples.