Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Defending the Sex/Gender Binary : The Role of Gender Identification and Need for Closure

Morgenroth, Thekla ; Sendén, M. Gustafsson ; Lindqvist, A. LU ; Renström, E. A. LU ; Ryan, M. K. and Morton, T. A. (2021) In Social Psychological and Personality Science 12(5). p.731-740
Abstract

In the Western world, gender/sex is traditionally viewed as binary, with people falling into one of two categories: male or female. This view of gender/sex has started to change, triggering some resistance. This research investigates psychological mechanisms underlying that resistance. Study 1 (N = 489, UK) explored the role of individual gender identification in defense of, and attempts to reinforce, the gender/sex binary. Study 2 (N = 415, Sweden) further considered the role of individual differences in need for closure. Both gender identification and need for closure were associated with binary views of gender/sex, prejudice against nonbinary people, and opposition to the use of gender-neutral pronouns. Policies that aim to abolish... (More)

In the Western world, gender/sex is traditionally viewed as binary, with people falling into one of two categories: male or female. This view of gender/sex has started to change, triggering some resistance. This research investigates psychological mechanisms underlying that resistance. Study 1 (N = 489, UK) explored the role of individual gender identification in defense of, and attempts to reinforce, the gender/sex binary. Study 2 (N = 415, Sweden) further considered the role of individual differences in need for closure. Both gender identification and need for closure were associated with binary views of gender/sex, prejudice against nonbinary people, and opposition to the use of gender-neutral pronouns. Policies that aim to abolish gender/sex categories, but not policies that advocate for a third gender/sex category, were seen as particularly unfair among people high in gender identification. These findings are an important step in understanding the psychology of resistance to change around binary systems of gender/sex.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
gender binary, gender identification, gender/sex binary, need for closure, nonbinary
in
Social Psychological and Personality Science
volume
12
issue
5
pages
731 - 740
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85087961343
ISSN
1948-5506
DOI
10.1177/1948550620937188
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4695f4a1-76ab-4a35-8a3f-38b4d049a43f
date added to LUP
2020-07-30 13:20:42
date last changed
2022-12-30 11:58:21
@article{4695f4a1-76ab-4a35-8a3f-38b4d049a43f,
  abstract     = {{<p>In the Western world, gender/sex is traditionally viewed as binary, with people falling into one of two categories: male or female. This view of gender/sex has started to change, triggering some resistance. This research investigates psychological mechanisms underlying that resistance. Study 1 (N = 489, UK) explored the role of individual gender identification in defense of, and attempts to reinforce, the gender/sex binary. Study 2 (N = 415, Sweden) further considered the role of individual differences in need for closure. Both gender identification and need for closure were associated with binary views of gender/sex, prejudice against nonbinary people, and opposition to the use of gender-neutral pronouns. Policies that aim to abolish gender/sex categories, but not policies that advocate for a third gender/sex category, were seen as particularly unfair among people high in gender identification. These findings are an important step in understanding the psychology of resistance to change around binary systems of gender/sex.</p>}},
  author       = {{Morgenroth, Thekla and Sendén, M. Gustafsson and Lindqvist, A. and Renström, E. A. and Ryan, M. K. and Morton, T. A.}},
  issn         = {{1948-5506}},
  keywords     = {{gender binary; gender identification; gender/sex binary; need for closure; nonbinary}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{731--740}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Social Psychological and Personality Science}},
  title        = {{Defending the Sex/Gender Binary : The Role of Gender Identification and Need for Closure}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1948550620937188}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1948550620937188}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}