Female Stereotypes in the United States and Turkey

Abstract

The functional theory of attitudes was applied to the problem of interpersonal perception and stereotyping in power relationships to predict the content of stereotypes of subordinated groups. An examination of stereotypes of women in the United States and Turkey tested the following three hypotheses: (1) Both American and Turkish males will attribute the predicted stereotyped traits more to women than to men, (2) Turks will perceive greater differences between the sexes than will Americans, (3) Turkish males and females will agree more closely on the characteristics of women than will American males and females. The first two hypotheses were supported, while the third was rejected. A time-lag model of ideological change was suggested to explain the failure to support the third hypothesis.