A Model of Sex‐Role Transcendence

Abstract

We propose a three‐stage model of sex‐role development which accounts for the failure of traditional models to explain sex‐role socialization and eliminate discrimination. Our model asserts that sex‐role development proceeds through three stages: an undifferentiated conception of sex roles, a polarized oppositional view of sex roles, and a transcendence of sex roles. The second stage characterizes many individuals and societal institutions today, and is regarded as the end‐point in much social science work on sex roles. Our model necessitates exploration of multiple interactive processes which influence sex‐role development and several different mechanisms of growth (accumulation of information and dialectic conflict resolution).