Undifferentiated

[ritaxis]

I took the Bem sex role questionnaire because I'm looking at these tests for background information for a story.  My score could have been female sex-typed, male sex-typed, androgynous, or undifferentiated.

I was undifferentiated.  The female score was a bit higher than the male score, but both were under the threshold.

Naturally, I'm underimpressed, though honestly if I was to be required to guess how I would come out on a standardized test, I would probably have guessed about this.

Mainly, I'm sort of puzzled as to what good the test is.  Of what use is it to tell people whether or not they fit a gender role stereotype?  Or do people use it for ammunition when they're trying to create a program for their lives that allows them to live comfortably?  Does anybody know how this test is actually used for people?

It's not, after all, useful to the story at hand.

Comments

[genlisae.livejournal.com]

I am usually left wondering the purpose of all tests of this nature. Do people really need to take a test to tell the they are introverted? That they enjoy being outdoors? They prefer doing rather than reading?

As for this test specifically, it seems to be of even more dubious use. I am not entirely sure I have completely grasped the concept of the intended purpose. I don't see what good it would do to slot respondents into roles based on a heavily socially-biased gender binary. That they have attempted to include two non-binary options in the mix while still using the binary as a basis? This baffles me even more.

I'm missing something here. That being said I am going to track this (if you don't mind) because usually someone on your list will come along and explain the other side, the side I didn't see. I like that.