University of Arkansas Conducts Wide-ranging Study of Americans’ Attitudes Toward Women

The Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Culture and the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas conducted a wide-ranging survey of American attitudes toward women in the workplace and in elective office. The results show that while progress has been made, women still face many obstacles in the fight for equality. Participants in the study were asked to give their views on a series of statements on a 1-to-5 scale with 1 meaning the respondent strongly disagreed with the statement and 5 meaning the survey participant strongly agreed with the statement. The statements relating to women in the workplace included:

1. Many women are actually seeking special favors, such as hiring policies that favor them over men, under the guise of asking for “equality.”
2. Most women interpret innocent remarks or acts as being sexist.
3. Feminists are seeking for women to have more power than men.
4. When women lose to men in a fair competition, they typically complain about being discriminated against.
5. Discrimination against women is no longer a problem in the United States.’

The results showed that nearly a quarter of all male respondents held “extremely negative” or sexist attitudes about women. The results were fairly consistent across all age groups in men. White men were more likely than Black or Hispanic men to harbor sexists attitudes.

The survey also found that nearly four of five Americans believed they would see a woman president in their lifetimes. Men were only slightly less likely than women to agree that a they would see a woman president.

The study can be accessed here.