A Study on the Attitudes of a Selected Group of Filipino Adolescents on their Perceived Gender Roles

Abstract

The study aimed to obtain the attitudes of a selected group of Filipino adolescents as regards to their perceived gender roles. One hundred respondents from U.P. Manila--50 females as well as males--were selected by purposive sampling to participate in the research. A questionnaire was used to get their answers. Data indicate that males and females alike generally perceived traditional feminine and masculine traits as belonging to either genders. Traditional roles in the contexts of love and sex, dating and courtship, and marriage are sometimes supported by the adolescents but in some cases are not. Tasks and behaviors traditionally ascribed to males and to females are viewed by the majority of the adolescents as not affecting femininity/masculinity concepts with the exception of a few tasks and behaviors. Results also show that there is a difference on how females and males perceived certain things pertaining to gender roles. At various points, the two genders differed in opinions and attitudes.