Assessing hypergender ideologies: Development and initial validation of a gender-neutral measure of adherence to extreme gender-role beliefs

Hypermasculinity and hyperfemininity are two gender-specific personality dimensions that represent adherence to extremely traditional gender-role ideologies. The present studies were conducted to develop and validate a gender-neutral measure of adherence to these extreme stereotypic gender beliefs. From a pool of 142 potential items, item analyses resulted in an internally consistent 57-item Hypergender Ideology Scale (HGIS) that was significantly, positively correlated with hypermasculinity and hyperfemininity. Moreover, the HGIS was strongly correlated with scales that were used to validate measures of hypermasculinity and hyperfemininity. Implications for the study of adherence to stereotypic gender roles, and of hypergender ideology as a personality constellation independent of gender, are discussed. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.