Male role and life-style : clothing selection attitudes for the professional and social environment

Author

Nancy A. Oliver

Date of Award

5-1989

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Imogene M. Ford

Committee Members

Mary Frances Drake, Jamie Havasy, Ernest Cadotte, Mark Hector

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine male activities, interests, and opinions, attitudes about masculinity, and demographic factors as they relate to clothing selection for the professional and social environment.

A random sample of 2,003 was mailed a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted on 267 adult males, 13% of the original sample. The respondents were a good representation of a national geographic distribution, generally were between 25 and 50 years of age, married, well educated, and predominately held positions in administration and management.

Results of the study indicated a significant relationship between masculinity and clothing selection for the professional and social environment. This was especially true for the professional environment. On a conservative to liberal continuum, mean scores for clothing selection were lower (conservative) as the situation required the display of traits associated with the traditional male role.

Activities, interests, and opinions were not significantly related to clothing selection for the professional and social environment. Factor analysis using the Principal Components Methods of Varimax Rotation reduced the activities, interests,and opinions items to 13 factors. The individual factor of Modern/Traditional Ideas was significantly related to clothing selection for the professional and social environment. Masculinity and the factors Modern/Traditional Ideas, Personal Adornment and Self, Active Recreations, and Inactive Recreations/Hobbies were significantly related.

Profession was the only demographic factor significantly related to clothing selection for the professional and social environment.

Findings from this study indicate masculinity, profession, and the professional environment were significantly related to clothing selection.

Recommended Citation

Oliver, Nancy A., "Male role and life-style : clothing selection attitudes for the professional and social environment. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1989.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/11732