Perceived psychological adjustment of males vs. females in the expression of sadness and anger

This study investigated the effects of sex of actor, gender of rater, and sex role orientation of rater on the raters' judgments of psychological adjustment of a male and female role player who expressed the emotions of sadness and anger. The subjects were 307 college students enrolled in The University of Tennessee and/or Pellissippi State Technical Community College. The subjects viewed two videotapes each, one portraying either a male or female expressing sadness and/or anger and the other one, portraying the opposite sex and the opposite emotion from the first role play observation. Subjects' perceptions of the role players' psychological adjustment were assessed using the adjustment item from the Interpersonal Judgment Scale (US) (Byrne, 1971). Subjects' perceptions of the role players' need for psychological treatment were assessed using the Treatment Scale (Coie, Pennington & Buckley, 1974). The Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRl) (Bem, 1974) was used to determine the sex role orientation of each subject. Results indicated that sex of actor had a significant effect on the raters' judgments of psychological adjustment as measured by the US item. The male actor was judged as significantly more maladjusted than the female actor when expressing both sadness and/or anger. Results also revealed significant main effects for sex of actor and sex role orientation of rater on the Treatment Scale. Sad males were rated as needing significantly more treatment than sad females. Raters who were labeled as masculine sex role typed on the BSRl recommended significantly less treatment than any of the other three Bern sex role types. These findings were discussed in relation to the sex role stereotypes that exist for males and females who express sadness and/or anger.