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Attitudes Toward Women
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About Attitudes Toward Women
Scale Name
Attitudes Toward Women
Author Details
Nancy L. Galambos, Anne C. Petersen, Maryse H. Richards, and Idy B. Gitelson
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Attitudes Toward Women (ATW) scale, developed by Nancy L. Galambos, Anne C. Petersen, Maryse H. Richards, and Idy B. Gitelson in 1985, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure gender stereotyping, specifically attitudes toward women’s roles and capabilities in society. Created as part of a longitudinal study of adolescent development, the scale targets students in grades 8-9 (ages 13-15) to assess beliefs about gender equality versus traditional stereotypes (e.g., women as primarily homemakers or less competent than men). Published in Journal of Youth and Adolescence, the ATW was developed to explore how gender attitudes influence adolescent psychosocial adjustment, aligning with social-cognitive theories that link beliefs to behavior and identity formation during puberty.
The ATW comprises 15 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree”), assessing attitudes toward women’s roles in work, family, and society (e.g., “Women should have the same job opportunities as men” or “A woman’s place is in the home”). Items are reverse-scored where necessary, with higher scores indicating more egalitarian, less stereotypical attitudes. Total scores range from 15 to 60. Validated in a suburban, predominantly White sample, the scale is suited for early adolescents navigating gender role socialization. Its variable internal consistency (0.62-0.86) reflects differences across samples and time points in longitudinal use.
Psychologists, educators, and researchers use the ATW to study gender attitudes, evaluate interventions promoting gender equity, and explore links to behaviors like dating violence or academic motivation. Its focus on egalitarian beliefs makes it relevant for school-based programs, though its English-only availability and moderate reliability in some contexts limit broader application.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Attitudes Toward Women scale from primary sources, such as Galambos et al. (1985) in Journal of Youth and Adolescence or authorized research archives, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses beliefs about women’s roles to understand gender attitudes, emphasizing confidentiality.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate each of the 15 items based on their agreement with statements about women’s roles, using the 4-point scale, typically reflecting current attitudes.
- Approximate time for completion is about 5-7 minutes, given its concise format.
- Administer in a classroom or group setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to encourage honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The ATW scale demonstrates variable psychometric properties. Internal consistency ranges from moderate to good, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.62 to 0.86 across samples and time points, reflecting acceptable to strong item cohesion depending on the cohort. Lower reliability (0.62) may stem from diverse gender role constructs or developmental variability in adolescents. Test-retest reliability is not explicitly reported but is inferred to be adequate based on its longitudinal use in stable samples.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as feminist attitudes (r ≈ 0.50-0.70) and inverse relationships with traditional masculinity norms, as noted in related studies (Galambos et al., 1990). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to predict gender-related behaviors, such as equitable relationship dynamics, and its sensitivity to developmental changes in adolescence. Factor analyses confirm a unidimensional structure focused on egalitarian attitudes, supporting construct validity. These properties, as reported in Galambos et al. (1985), affirm the scale’s utility in adolescent research, though variable reliability suggests cautious use in diverse samples.
Available Versions
12-Items
Reference
Galambos, N. L., Petersen, A. C., Richards, M., & Gitelson, I. B. (1985). The Attitudes Toward Women Scale for Adolescents (AWSA): A study of reliability and validity. Sex roles, 13(5), 343-356.
Galambos, N. L., Petersen, A. C., Richards, M., & Gitelson, I. B. (1990). ATTITUDES TOWARD WOMEN SCALE FOR ADOLESCENTS (AWSA). Gender roles: a handbook of tests and measures, 466.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the ATW scale measure?
It measures gender stereotyping, focusing on attitudes toward women’s roles and equality.
Who can use the ATW?
Researchers, psychologists, and educators studying gender attitudes in adolescents.
How long does the ATW take to complete?
It takes about 5-7 minutes.
Is the ATW specific to grades 8-9?
Yes, it targets early adolescents in these grades.
Can the ATW inform gender equity programs?
Yes, it identifies attitudes for interventions promoting equality, though reliability varies.
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