Mean girls: PID-5 personality traits and everyday sadism predict hostile femininity. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Russell, Tiffany D.; King, Alan R.
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 104(2017)
• Page Start: 252
• Page End: 257
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: HTW Hostility towards Women -- RMA Rape Myth Acceptance -- PID-5 Personality Inventory for the DSM-5; Hostility towards Women -- Rape Myth Acceptance -- Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) -- Hostile Femininity -- Intrasexual competition -- Indirect aggression -- Evolution -- Evolutionary personality psychology; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.08.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: This national study of United States women ( N = 522) took an evolutionary approach to explaining Hostility towards Women and Rape Myth Acceptance, two constructs loading on a latent variable called Hostile Femininity. Everyday Sadism, Suspiciousness, Cognitive and Perceptual Dysregulation, and a lack of Eccentricity were expected to predict Hostile Femininity. Callousness and Manipulativeness were expected to predict Everyday Sadism. These hypotheses were largely supported; however, Withdrawal, not Cognitive and Perceptual Dysregulation, predicted Hostile Femininity in the final model. The structural equation model accounted for 64% of the variance in Hostile Femininity. It is proposed Hostile Femininity may represent motives for female intrasexual competition, an evolutionary concept explaining same-sex aggression. The hostile feminine profile emerging from this study is that of a conservative, conventional, and introverted woman who deeply distrusts other females. She likely enjoys using tactics such as gossip and social ostracism against other females, including women who have reported being sexually assaulted. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Evolutionary perspective on female hostility towards women and rape myth acceptance Hostile Femininity conceived as a manifestation of intrasexual competition motives Hostile Femininity predicted by Everyday Sadism and 3 PID-5 facets Everyday Sadism predicted by 2 additional PID-5 facets