Gender differences in personality: a meta-analysis.
Four meta-analyses were conducted to examine gender differences in personality in the literature (1958-1992) and in normative data for well-known personality inventories (1940-1992). Males were found to be more assertive and had slightly higher self-esteem than females. Females were higher than males in extraversion, anxiety, trust, and, especially, tender-mindedness (e.g., nurturance). There were no noteworthy sex differences in social anxiety, impulsiveness, activity, ideas (e.g., reflectiveness), locus of control, and orderliness. Gender differences in personality traits were generally constant across ages, years of data collection, educational levels, and nations.
Feingold
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Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06519.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors