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Older and Younger Adults’ Attitudes Toward Feminism: The Influence of Religiosity, Political Orientation, Gender, Education, and Family

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Abstract

The present study explored attitudes toward feminism in 245 U.S. college students and their older relatives. Participants completed a scale of attitudes towards feminism, political orientation, a religiosity measure, and a demographic questionnaire. Results indicated that older adults were more conservative than younger adults on their attitudes towards feminism, religiosity, and political orientation measures. In the young adult sample, attitudes towards feminism were predicted by gender and political orientation, compared to older adults in which religiosity and political orientation were the best predictors. When exploring generational influence, older adults’ attitudes and demographic information were not associated with younger adults’ attitudes towards feminism and the women’s movement. In contrast, young adults’ political views were associated with older adults’ attitudes towards feminism.

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  1. Psychology Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1876, USA

    Kathryn E. Fitzpatrick Bettencourt, Tammi Vacha-Haase & Zinta S. Byrne

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  1. Kathryn E. Fitzpatrick Bettencourt
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  2. Tammi Vacha-Haase
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  3. Zinta S. Byrne
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Correspondence to Tammi Vacha-Haase.

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Fitzpatrick Bettencourt, K.E., Vacha-Haase, T. & Byrne, Z.S. Older and Younger Adults’ Attitudes Toward Feminism: The Influence of Religiosity, Political Orientation, Gender, Education, and Family. Sex Roles 64, 863–874 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9946-z

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