Some find MSS having one dimension, whereas others find two dimensions, separating beliefs about current
discrimination and gender-equality policy ( Morrison, Morrison, Pope, & Zumbo, 1999 ).
Criterion/Predictive
In the original study ( Swim et al., 1995 ), although all respondents over-estimated the percentage of women in
male-dominated fields, high versus low MSS scores predicted additional over-estimation of women’s percentage
in gender-segregated ‘male’ jobs (unexpectedly, the reverse pattern held for old-fashioned sexism). In the second
study, MSS predicted lower ratings of gendered job segregation as caused by gender prejudice, tradition, and
socialization, but higher ratings for biology as a cause. Old-fashioned sexism did not show these patterns. MSS
also predicted preferring a then-current male Senate candidate over the female one, whereas old-fashioned sex-
ism and respondent gender did not. MSS predicts less collective feminist action ( r5.40,Becker & Wagner,
2009 ), judging everyday sexist behaviors as less sexist ( /C0.35,Swim et al., 2005 ), less positive attitudes toward gay
and lesbian people (.26, Campbell et al., 1997 ), less support for the women’s movement ( /C0.53,Campbell et al.,
1997 ), as well as expressing more gender harassment and gender bias (in experimental simulation, Hitlan, Pryor,
Hesson-McInnis, & Olson, 2009 ), more appreciation of sexist humor (.34 to .44, Eyssel & Bohner, 2007 ), and both
more use and detection of sexist language (.44, Parks & Roberton, 2004 ;Swim, Mallett, & Stangor, 2004 ).
Location
Swim, J.K., Aikin, K.J., Hall, W.S., & Hunter, B.A. (1995). Sexism and racism: Old-fashioned and modern preju-
dices. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(2) , 199/C0214.
Results and Comments
One of the first next-generation sexism scales, the modern sexism scale is especially useful for its links to polit-
ical, employment, and harassment attitudes. It shows good cross-cultural applicability and good psychometric
properties, especially predictive validity of gender-related attitudes.
MODERN SEXISM SCALE
Dimension Item
Denial of continuing
discrimination1.Discrimination against women is no longer a problem in the United States.*
2.Women often miss out on good jobs due to sexual discrimination.
3.It is rare to see women treated in a sexist manner of television.*
4.On average, people in our society treat husbands and wives equally.*
5.Society has reached the point where women and men have equal
opportunities for achievement.*
Antagonism toward
women’s demands6.It is easy to understand the anger of women’s groups in America.*
7.It is easy to understand why women’s groups are still concerned about
societal limitations of women’s opportunities.
Resentment about special
favors for women8.Over the past few years, the government and news media have been
showing more concern about the treatment of women than is warranted by
women’s actual experiences.*
Notes :
Response scale is 1, strongly agree, to 5, strongly disagree. No specific instructions appear in print.
*Reverse scored item.
Copyright APA. Reproduced with permission.
Neosexism Scale (NS)
(Tougas et al., 1995 ).702 24. MEASURES OF STEREOTYPING AND PREJUDICE: BAROMETERS OF BIAS
VI. SOCIOCULTURAL INTERACTION AND CONFLICT