Gender-Role and Sex Differences in Recreation

Abstract

The present purposes were to assess the relative influences of gender-role orientation and sex on recreational preferences and time spent in recreation and work. Undergraduate volunteers (48 men, 61 women) completed a recreational inventory and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. Chi-squared analyses by gender-role orientation indicated that there was a greater representation of androgynous individuals in the social activities category and that masculine-typed individuals were underrepresented in the vicarious activities category. Significant chi-squared analyses by sex indicated that men were overrepresented in the chance, strategy, and physical skill and strategy categories and women were overrepresented in social activities and imaginary playmates categories. Subjects' gender-role orientation and its interaction with sex significantly predicted time spent on work and approached significance for recreation.