ers, adopt a social role as a mother and a paid worker, and be androgynous," with respect to psychological sex role, or personality (Sedney, 1987, p. 312).
Masculine psychological characteristics are considered to be "instrumental/agentic in nature" (Cook, 1987, p. 472). These characteristics involve "goal orientation, assertive activity, selfdevelopment, and separation from others" (Cook, 1987, p. 472). By contrast, feminine psychological characteristics are considered to be "expressive/communal" in nature (Cook, 1987, p. 472). These characteristics involve "emotionality, selflessness, sensitivity, and interpersonal relationships" (Cook, 1987, p. 472). The androgynous personality is a manifestation of some combination of masculine and feminine
psychological characteristics (Spence, & Sawin, 1985). The androgynous personality, thus, possesses "expressive/communal . . and instrumental/agentic . . . dimensions (Cook, 1987, p. 472).
Until relatively recently, it was assumed that preferred psychological sex role development involved the adoption of masculine personality characteristics by males, and feminine personality characteristics by females (Huston, 1983). Recent research, however, has found that definite advantages accrue to both individuals and society from the development of androgynous personalities (Bassoff, & Glass, 1
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