The Attitudes Towards Gender Norms Scale is a 21-item measure of individual attitudes toward gender norms, based on the Gender Equitable Male scale (Pulerwitz and Baker 2008). The items are separated into 3 domains: Manhood and Masculinity, Girls and Women’s Roles, and Boys’ Controlling Behaviors. The scale captures adolescent males’ gender attitudes including aggressiveness, attitudes towards gender normative behavior of men and women, and controlling girls’ behaviors.
Geographies Tested: India
Populations Included: Male
Age Range: Adolescents
Manhood and Masculinity
1. Boys do not remain faithful to their girlfriends for long
2. Boys lose respect if they talk about their problems
3. Boys need to be tough even if they are very young
4. It is bothersome when boys behave like girls
5. There are times when a boy needs to beat his girlfriend
6. Only men should work outside the home
Girls and Women’s Roles
7. Girls cannot do well in Math and Science
8. It’s a girl’s fault if a male teacher sexually harasses her
9. A wife should always obey her husband
10. If a girl says no it naturally means yes
11. Violence against girls is perpetrated by strangers
12. Since girls have to get married they should not be sent for higher education
13. A woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together
14. Girls like to be teased by boys
15. Girls with less clothes provoke boys
Boys’ Controlling Behaviors
A boy is justified in:
16. Telling her which friends she can or cannot talk to or see
17. Not allowing her to go outside alone
18. Pressuring her not to breakup with her boyfriend
19. Telling her what kind of dress she can or cannot wear
20. Telling her what to do all the time
21. Trying to convince her to have sex
Response Options:
5-point scale from Agree to Disagree
Scores are summed to create a scale total ranging from 0 to 84. Total scores are separated into tertiles: 0-28 indicating less gender equitable attitudes, 29-56 for moderately equitable attitudes, and 57-84 for more equitable attitudes.
Das, M., Ghosh, S., Verma, R., O'Connor, B., Fewer, S., Virata, M. C., & Miller, E. (2014). Gender attitudes and violence among urban adolescent boys in India. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 19(1), 99-112. DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2012.716762
Psychometric Score
Ease of Use Score
Qualitative Research
Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework
Field Expert Input
Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing
Internal
Test-retest
Interrater
Content
Face
Criterion (gold-standard)
Construct
Readability
Scoring Clarity
Length
to get the latest updates on new measures and guidance for survey researchers