Miami, FL, USA. While there is a tendency to think that only men treat women in a sexist way, a new study shows that both men and women participate in maintaining a gender hierarchy in our society. Sexism has been discussed in the professional literature for decades as an issue of social hierarchy.

However, only a few few researchers into the subject have directly tested the role that social hierarchy plays in sexism on a day  to day basis.

Some of the motivation for supporting the gender hierarchy is the widespread belief that social hierarchy is of general importance.

The study, which explores the role of men and women in maintaining the gender hierarchy in society, was conducted by a researcher from the University of Miami and his daughter. The authors hope their findings will assist in the formation of a clear understanding of how sexism works among both men and women, while contributing to gender equity in society. Their paper is published in the journal Sex Roles.

The results provide concrete evidence that sexism is a form of social hierarchy that is beneficial to men and detrimental to women and offers some avenues for educating about and reducing sexism through making it clearer how sexism is related to social dominance."We were surprised by the lack of difference in the role of social hierarchy support in hostile sexism between men and women," said Blaine Fowers, co-author and professor in the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies in the School of Education at the University of Miami (UM).

"We expected social hierarchy support to lead to greater hostile sexism among men than among women."

"It's important for women to understand that judgment hurts everyone and that sexist judgment hurts women in particular," explained Alyssa Fowers, co-author of the study and a first year student at Duke University. "When women are influenced by society to make assumptions about each other they also hurt themselves — it's a cycle that feeds itself."

The study also indicates that women show a strong preference for benevolent sexism (BS) — portraying women as relatively weak, placing them on a pedestal of purity and suggesting they need protection and guidance, over hostile sexism (HS) — the derogatory portrayals of women.

Other important findings of the study include:

• Men have similar scores on BS and HS.
  
  
• Women are divided into two different subtypes, for the purpose of the study: chaste, described as a woman who does not like "casual flings" and promiscuous — women who like "casual flings".
  
  
• Women with a positive cognitive representations of one's self (Sexual Self-Schema) have the largest difference in HS across women subtypes.
  
  
• Women with low sexual self-schema have almost identical levels of HS toward both the chaste and promiscuous characters.
  
  
• Both HS and BS are harmful. Both forms of sexism support a gender hierarchy that limits and marginalizes women.

The results provide concrete evidence that sexism is a form of social hierarchy that is beneficial to men and detrimental to women and offers some avenues for educating about and reducing sexism through making it clearer how sexism is related to social dominance.

"Women have a direct stake in the ongoing effort to create a more just society and men can benefit greatly when the women in their lives become more empowered and fully engaged partners, colleagues, and fellow citizens," said Blaine Fowers.

CitationSocial Dominance and Sexual Self-Schema as Moderators of Sexist Reactions to Female Subtypes. Alyssa F. Fowers and Blaine J. Fower. Sex Roles 2009; 0360-0025 (Print) 1573-2762 (Online). doi: 10.1007/s11199-009-9607-7

Abstract

Theoretically, ambivalent sexism maintains gender hierarchy through benevolence toward conforming women but hostility toward nonconforming women. Men have shown ambivalent sexism to sex-typed vignettes describing “chaste” and “promiscuous” women (Sibley and Wilson 2004). This study of 117 Florida male and female undergraduate participants examined whether, benefiting more from gender hierarchy, men respond more extremely. If sexism supports gender hierarchy, social dominance also should moderate ambivalent sexism. Sexual self-schema (detailed, self-confident sexual information-processing) might moderate men’s and women's hostility. Supporting ambivalent sexism theory, women's hostility targeted the promiscuous character, but their benevolence targeted the chaste character, with men unexpectedly differentiating less. Social dominance enhanced Hostile Sexism and its differentiating the two female subtypes. Sexual self-schema moderated women’s but not men’s hostility.

Keywords: ambivalent sexism, female subtype, social dominance, sexual self-schema, gender differences.

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