The Relationship Between Women's Perceptions of the Campus Environment and Self-Esteem as Moderated by Women's Identity Attitudes
The Relationship Between Women's Perceptions of the Campus Environment and Self-Esteem as Moderated by Women's Identity Attitudes
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Date
1986
Authors
Ossana, Shelly Lynne
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Abstract
An examination of the relationships among undergraduate
women's self-esteem, perceptions of the campus environment, and
women's identity attitudes (i.e., attitudes about, and
identification with, women and the sociopolitical issues unique
to women) was conducted. 649 female undergraduates, freshman
through seniors, were surveyed in classes at the University of
Maryland, College Park campus. Results indicated that Encounter
(characterized by rejection of previously held stereotypical
views about women and heightened awareness about the sociopolitical
issues unique to women) and Immersion-Emersion
(characterized by active rejection of male supremacist values and
beliefs) attitudes were positively related to perceptions of
gender bias in the campus environment and inversely related to
self-esteem. Internalization (chararacterized by acceptance and
pride in one's women's identity) attitudes were inversely related
to perceptions of environmental gender bias and positively
related to self-esteem. Perceptions of gender bias were
inversely related to self-esteem, indicating that the more
negatively one viewed oneself the more likely one was to perceive
the campus environment as biased, or conversely that the more
positively one viewed oneself the less likely one was to perceive
inequities reflecting gender bias in the campus environment.
Implications for counseling and future research are discussed.