Publication Date

1-1-2005

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Cosbey, Sarah

Degree Name

B.S. (Bachelor of Science)

Legacy Department

School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences

Abstract

Previous studies have examined power associations with women’s business dress but little work has been directed toward the study of perceptions of power in conjunction with clothing for other social contexts. This study explores the association between masculine versus feminine styling in women’s dress and perceptions of power in women for professional business, formal social, and casual social contexts. A questionnaire was administered via a PowerPoint slide presentation to 57 university students. Subjects responded to 15 color photographic images of women dressed in outfits appropriate for the three social contexts with five images representing each context. Instrument items consisted of semantic differential scales measuring perceptions of power and masculinity versus femininity for the clothed images. Pearson correlation tests indicated that one of the casual social outfits and one of the formal social outfits showed a significant negative relationship between perceived masculinity and power.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

20 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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