Gendered Self-Views Across 62 Countries: A Test of Competing Models
Authors: Kosakowska-Berezecka Natasza , Bosson Jennifer K. , Jurek Paweł , Besta Tomasz , Olech Michał , Vandello Joseph A. , Bender Michael , Dandy Justine , Hoorens Vera , Jasinskaja-Lahti Inga , Mankowski Eric , Venäläinen Satu , Abuhamdeh Sami , Agyemang Collins Badu , Akbaş Gülçin , Albayrak-Aydemir Nihan , Ammirati Soline , Anderson Joel , Anjum Gulnaz , Ariyanto Amarina , Aruta John Jamir Benzon R. , Ashraf Mujeeba , Bakaitytė Aistė , Becker Maja , Bertolli Chiara , Bërxulli Dashamir , Best Deborah L. , Bi Chongzeng , Block Katharina , Boehnke Mandy , Bongiorno Renata , Bosak Janine , Casini Annalisa , Chen Qingwei , Chi Peilian , Cubela Adoric Vera , Daalmans Serena , de Lemus Soledad , Dhakal Sandesh , Dvorianchikov Nikolay , Egami Sonoko , Etchezahar Edgardo , Esteves Carla Sofia , Froehlich Laura , Garcia-Sanchez Efrain , Gavreliuc Alin , Gavreliuc Dana , Gomez Ángel , Guizzo Francesca , Graf Sylvie , Greijdanus Hedy , Grigoryan Ani , Grzymała-Moszczyńska Joanna , Guerch Keltouma , Gustafsson Sendén Marie , Hale Miriam-Linnea , Hämer Hannah , Hirai Mika , Hoang Duc Lam , Hřebíčková Martina , Hutchings Paul B. , Jensen Dorthe Høj , Karabati Serdar , Kelmendi Kaltrina , Kengyel Gabriella , Khachatryan Narine , Ghazzawi Rawan , Kinahan Mary , Kirby Teri A. , Kovacs Monika , Kozlowski Desiree , Krivoshchekov Vladislav , Kryś Kuba , Kulich Clara , Kurosawa Tai , Lac An Nhan Thi , Labarthe-Carrara Javier , Lauri Mary Anne , Latu Ioana , Lawal Abiodun Musbau , Li Junyi , Lindner Jana , Lindqvist Anna , Maitner Angela T. , Makarova Elena , Makashvili Ana , Malayeri Shera , Malik Sadia , Mancini Tiziana , Manzi Claudia , Mari Silvia , Martiny Sarah E. , Mayer Claude-Hélène , Mihić Vladimir , MiloševićĐorđević Jasna , Moreno-Bella Eva , Moscatelli Silvia , Moynihan Andrew Bryan , Muller Dominique , Narhetali Erita , Neto Félix , Noels Kimberly A. , Nyúl Boglárka , O’Connor Emma C. , Ochoa Danielle P. , Ohno Sachiko , Olanrewaju Adebayo Sulaiman , Osborne Randall , Pacilli Maria Giuseppina , Palacio Jorge , Patnaik Snigdha , Pavlopoulos Vassilis , de León Pablo Pérez , Piterová Ivana , Porto Juliana Barreiros , Puzio Angelica , Pyrkosz-Pacyna Joanna , Rentería Pérez Erico , Renström Emma , Rousseaux Tiphaine , Ryan Michelle K. , Safdar Saba , Sainz Mario , Salvati Marco , Samekin Adil , Schindler Simon , Sevincer A. Timur , Seydi Masoumeh , Shepherd Debra , Sherbaji Sara , Schmader Toni , Simão Cláudia , Sobhie Rosita , Sobiecki Jurand , De Souza Lucille , Sarter Emma , Sulejmanović Dijana , Sullivan Katie E. , Tatsumi Mariko , Tavitian-Elmadjian Lucy , Thakur Suparna Jain , Thi Mong Chi Quang , Torre Beatriz , Torres Ana , Torres Claudio V. , Türkoğlu Beril , Ungaretti Joaquín , Valshtein Timothy , Van Laar Colette , van der Noll Jolanda , Vasiutynskyi Vadym , Vauclair Christin-Melanie , Vohra Neharika , Walentynowicz Marta , Ward Colleen , Włodarczyk Anna , Yang Yaping , Yzerbyt Vincent , Zanello Valeska , Zapata-Calvente Antonella Ludmila , Zawisza Magdalena , Žukauskienė Rita , Żadkowska Magdalena 
Published: November 2022

Social role theory posits that binary gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in less egalitarian countries, reflecting these countries’ more pronounced sex-based power divisions. Conversely, evolutionary and self-construal theorists suggest that gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in more egalitarian countries, reflecting the greater autonomy support and flexible self-construction processes present in these countries. Using data from 62 countries ( N = 28,640), we examine binary gender gaps in agentic and communal self-views as a function of country-level objective gender equality (the Global Gender Gap Index) and subjective distributions of social power (the Power Distance Index). Findings show that in more egalitarian countries, gender gaps in agency are smaller and gender gaps in communality are larger. These patterns are driven primarily by cross-country differences in men’s self-views and by the Power Distance Index (PDI) more robustly than the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI). We consider possible causes and implications of these findings.