Attitudes toward Gender Equality: A Q Methodological Study

Abstract

Attitudes towards gender equality are usually dichotomized. Those who say they
support (or oppose) gender equality, however, may actually have
different opinions on gender equality. When using traditional methods
such as surveys and interviews in which respondents are asked to select
one choice from limited choices that were prepared by a researcher,
various subjective attitudes towards gender equality may not be well
identified. This article uses Q methodology to identifying five
different attitudes towards gender equality. This diversity of attitudes
towards gender equality suggests that conventional measures of
attitudes towards gender equality can be improved. Future researchers
could extend the research to additional groups of respondents, thereby
gaining a better understanding of attitudes towards gender equality and
of gender equality itself.