PhD, Associate Professor V.S. Pavlovskaya¹
Dr.Hab., Professor V.D. Povzun¹
PhD, Associate Professor A.A. Povzun¹
Postgraduate N.R. Usayeva^1
1Surgut State University, Surgut

Keywords: gender-role-specific socialisation, gender-specific behaviour, gender-role-specific identity, gender role, interpersonal preference.

Background. Gender behavioural models versus modern sport cultures may be considered in many aspects including naturally different gender-specific training models [8]. The mentality related differences in the modelling process being critical both for the training process and competitive performance are no less important. It is individual mentality that largely determines the socialisation process and problems including the gender-specific role model dictated ones, with modern sports often heavily contributing to these personality problems [3].

Actually the ongoing transformations in the national society cannot but are of influence on the gender-specific role models that are being reconsidered and transformed as well, and this is the reason why today a high priority is being given to the educational and development process individualisation with regard to individual mental, physiological and personality traits of the students [2, 4]. In modern gender studies special attention is given to the physical education and sports sector in the efforts to address a variety of personality development problems including interpersonal problems related to the gender-role behavioural models and heterosexual relationship building process [1].

Heterosexual relationship building is driven by a set of criteria applied by either gender in selecting a partner or spouse – that means that a potential partner shall demonstrate certain qualities highly valued by the counter gender for success in relationship building. The relevant identification problems were found quite critical for non-sporting students [6]. In addition, as has been demonstrated in our study data and analysis, this problem is critical for a wide range of ages [7].

It is common knowledge that modern physical education is widely applicable to different age and gender groups and provides apple opportunities for the personality development agendas of both males and females. Our study was designed to rate the opportunities provided by physical education to help form the relevant gender-specific behavioural role models fairly predictable if not classical and, hence, reasonably successful in the heterosexual relationship building domain.

Objective of the study was to obtain the gender-role-specific socialisation self-rates and use them to rate the heterosexual relationship building process success for sporting university students.

Methods and structure of the study. At the first stage of the survey, the subjects were offered to independently find at least 10 adjectives to define the qualities most important for the heterosexual relationship building success for men and women, with the young men and women surveyed separately. Subject to a questionnaire survey were 150 students of both genders majoring in sports at Surgut State University. On the whole the subjects gave about 150 definitions; and the survey data were classified for each of the gender groups to select top 20 most preferred qualities and find their correlations in each gender group. Then the qualities were sorted out for the ‘ideal’ and ‘real’ gender models, followed by the data being rated using the Spearman rank correlation method. Data generated at the first stage [5] showed certain intra- and inter-personal conflicts and dissatisfactions with their own and others behavioural models but gave virtually no means to prioritise the gender qualities, classify them into some hierarchy versus the heterosexual relationship building process success rates, and, hence, find contradictions in the values.

To find answers to the above, we applied the ranked definitions of the ‘ideal’ and ‘real’ gender models to summate, in a phased manner, the same top 20 priority qualities indicated by both of the gender groups and rank them based on the individual rankings provided by the respondents. Rankings of the individual qualities in the hierarchy and their prioritisation degrees for each group of respondents enabled us to classify them into primary and secondary qualities of importance for the heterosexual relationship building process.

Study results and discussion. Given hereunder in Tables 1 and 2 are the examples of such analysis for one of the female groups that rated the ‘ideal’ and ‘real’ female role models.

Table 1. Ranked qualities of an ideal young lady model mentioned by the female group of respondents

Ranked among the top three qualities and, hence, potentially critical for success in the heterosexual relationship, were femininity, cleverness and beauty, and it is only natural. The top three qualities are generally driven by emotions and ideal expectations important for the first impression largely dictated by feelings rather than some reasons. It should be noted that these qualities, however fundamental they may be, are normally perceived emotionally and irrationally and, hence, cannot be critically analysed for the reason that no clear rating criteria are applicable to them. They may be assessed versus some social criteria of importance at some point – dictated, for example, by the current fashion or superficial preferences driven by advertisements; and, consequently, they are relatively volatile in their influence on the choice of partner – albeit always have such an influence.

All the other qualities are ranked far behind the top three, although their popularity tends to gradually grow that means that they may be increasingly important with time when the feelings-dictated qualities are given their due or further ignored. Qualities ranked lower than the top ten may be referred to as the real and possibly practically needed that may form a sound basis for a long-term relationship. These qualities are normally immune from effects of a variety of social factors and public opinions being chosen by every individual on his/her own and really appreciated. This is the reason why an ‘ideal’ young lady at this stage is not required to be beautiful any more on top of the other qualities.

Furthermore, down from the top 15 we find the qualities that may be dubbed the ‘second wave’ ones. They refer not only to the gender-role-dictated strategy but also to its tactical and values-driven supports that are critical for the heterosexual relationship being sustainable and harmonic enough.

Table 2. Top groups of ranked qualities of an ideal young female model rated by a female group

To demonstrate the trends, it could be sensible to draw the popularity growing lines for every quality, but we would offer hereunder only the final table giving the qualities ranked by importance. Further rankings going beyond the top 15 are virtually impossible due to the sums of the qualities being equalised. For the same reason, rankings of more than top 12 qualities make no sense in fact. Given in Table 3 hereunder are the ranking results indicative of individual and mutual heterosexual preferences in assessing the ‘ideal’ (N1) and ‘real’ (N2) gender models, with the top fifteen qualities being subject to analysis.

Table 3. Hierarchy of the qualities indicative of the gender role model related preferences of the Surgut State University students majoring in sports

Conclusion. It should be noted that the gender role model rating criteria offered herein are still not ideal of course. Thus the ideal and real male models rated by females are virtually totally different in fact. The qualities ranked on top in the ratings of ‘real’ male models were found to score virtually nothing on the ‘ideal’ rating scale. Leading in the ideal gender model rankings are the qualities that have nothing to do with the practical interpersonal relationship and family values (loving, dependable, caring, faithful); and dominating in the ‘real’ models are the qualities referring to rather their social behaviour (sociable) of importance for the individual position in a team/ group (merry, interesting) and practical activity (strong). Of the communicative values, a fairly high rank is given only to ‘understanding’. It should be mentioned in this context that the gender-role-dictated preferences of the sporting young people are unlikely different from those of the non-sporting students. Therefore, sporting practices can hardly be of meaningful effect on the gender relationship building process – at least at this juncture; albeit some specifics –related to the hierarchy of qualities rather than to the real expectations or demonstrations of such qualities – may still be found.

References

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Corresponding author: apokin_vv@mail.ru

Abstract

We applied the subjects’ gender-role-specific socialisation self-rates to profile the gender aspects of interpersonal preferences of students majoring in sports at Surgut State University. Subject to a questionnaire survey were 150 students of both genders. The study data and analysis provide a basis for understanding the interpersonal disharmonies of young males and females take the relevant purposeful tutorial initiatives at universities and in families. In addition, the data are important for young people and as it may help them rethink their priorities and values to be better accepted, understood and appreciated by potential partners.