| Description |
The present study evaluated the relationships between components of sexual identity and self concept. The three components studies were sex, sex role orientation, and sexual object preference. One hundred sixty subjects participated, 40 each from male and fema.le homosexuals, and male and female heterosexuals. Each subject was given the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS) and the Bern Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Three questions were investigated. The first question concerned relationships of sex and sexual object preference to sex role orientation. It was found that homosexuals of both sexes had a greater orientation to sex roles typical of the opposite sex. They did not differ from heterosexuals in degree of orientation toward sex roles of the same sex. The second question concerned the relationships of sex and sexual object preference to sex role orientation and self concept. While both sex and sexual object preference were found to be related to differences in self concept these was a sigfiificant interaction between the two. Homosexuality had different relationships to self concept for each sex. The increased orientation toward sex roles of the opposite sex among homosexuals related to more positive self concept for lesbians and less positive self concept for male homosexuals. It was concluded that these findings gave support to the contention that cross-sex behavior is more strongly condemned in men than women. It was also concluded that these findings supported the contention that masculine sex role behavior is related to positive self concept for both sexes in a male-dominated society. The third question concerned the relationships between sex role and self concept. Significant relationships were found for men but not women. Men classified as androgynous (high on both masculinity and femininity) had the most positive self concept, and those whose sex role orientation was undifferentiated (low on both masculinity and femininity) had the least positive self concept. Feminine men closely resembled undifferentiated men and. masculine men resembled androgynous men. It was concluded that these findings support the contention that androgyny, or the capacity to integrate high degrees of both masculinity and femininity into the overall sexual identity, is related to more positive self concept. |
