Bem Sex Role Inventory
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The Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI; Bem, 1974) is a self-report questionnaire to measure feminine, masculine, and androgynous traits of individuals as mutually exclusive dimensions. The BSRI consists of sixty items: 20 questions of each feminine, masculine, and neutral gender items. Each question is rated on a 7 point scale. Reliability scores of the inventory, reported in the 1978 published manual, range from good to extremely high (.75 to .94). Validity scores presently remain to be relatively good but require ongoing testing to ensure the inventory has not become outdated (Holt & Ellis, 1998). Currently, short-forms of the inventory are indicative of “global, dominant, or assertive dispositions and expressive or nurturant tendencies” (Payne, 1985, p. 179).
The following is the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Rate yourself on each item from 1 (never or almost true) to 7 (always or almost true). Then, follow the scoring guidelines below to add your score. This test requires approximately 7-15 minutes.
1. self-reliant
2. yielding
3. helpful
4. defends own beliefs
5. cheerful
6. moody
7. independent
8. shy
9. conscientious
10. athletic
11. affectionate
12. theatrical
13. assertive
14. flatterable
15. happy
16. strong personality
17. loyal
18. unpredictable
19. forceful
20. feminine
21. reliable
22. analytical
23. sympathetic
24. jealous
25. leadership ability
26. sensitive to other's needs
27. truthful
28. willing to take risks
29. understanding
30. secretive
31. makes decisions easily
32. compassionate
33. sincere
34. self-sufficient
35. eager to soothe hurt feelings
36. conceited
37. dominant
38. soft-spoken
39. likable
40. masculine
41. warm
42. solemn
43. willing to take a stand
44. tender
45. friendly
46. aggressive
47. gullible
48. inefficient
49. act as leader
50. childlike
51. adaptable
52. individualistic
53. does not use harsh language
54. unsystematic
55. competitive
56. loves children
57. tactful
58. ambitious
59. gentle
60. conventional
For your masculinity score: Add items 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 55, and 58. Divide by 20.
For your femininity score: Add items 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 53, 56, and 59. Divide by 20.
If your score on both the masculinity and femininity scales are above 4.9 then you are described as having androgynous traits.
See Also
References
Bem, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155-162.
Holt, C. L., & Ellis, J. B. (1998). Assessing the current validity of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory. Sex Roles, 39, 929-941.
Payne, F. D. (1985). Review of Bem Sex Role Inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment, 41, 414-416.
