Gender Role Identity and Egalitarianism Consciousness among Adolescents

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study intends to investigate gender role identity and egalitarianism consciousness among adolescents and to determine the relationship between the two factors. METHOD: Data were collected from 376 middle and high school students in U City. Tools used were the Korean Sexual Role Identity (Kim, J. H., 2005) and the Gender Egalitarianism Consciousness among Adolescents (Kim, 2002). Data were analyzed using SPSS 12.0 for t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between boys and girls in gender role identity. Boys' gender role identity was different according to school grade (t=-3.19, p=.00), frequency of mother's hugging (t=-2.28, p=.02) and girls' according to religion (t=-2.24, p=.03), mother's job (F=3.59, p=.02), father's education level (F=3.20, p= .04), mother's education level (F=3.24, p=.04), family harmony (F=7.28, p=.00), and frequency of mother's hugging (t=-2.41, p=.02). There was significant difference in egalitarianism consciousness according to gender (t=-12.70, p=.00). Boys' egalitarianism consciousness was different according to school type (t=.02, p=.00) and father's education level (F=4.97, p=.02), and girls' according to school grade (t=-4.21, p=.00), school type (t=-3.12, p=.00), father's level of education (F=3.78, p=.02), decision maker of important domestic matter (F=4.95, p=.00) and frequency of mother's hugging (t=2.53, p=.01). In Girls, sexual role identity and gender egalitarianism consciousness were significantly correlated with each other (r=.01, p=.04). CONCLUSION: Through the study, it was found that boys' concern for sexual equality of was remarkably lower than girls. Therefore, it is necessary to offer curriculums for boys and to start social education for parents.