The level of masculinity and femininity and patterns of self-disclosure to male and female friends of UPV freshmen students

Abstract

This study sought to find out the level of Masculinity and Femininity of freshmen students, their patterns of self - disclosure in terms of gender and if there is a relationship between the two mentioned variables. Forty (40) male and forty (40) female freshmen students (SY 2001-2002) and at the same time staying in the dormitories were randomly selected as participants for this study. A modified Masculinity and Femininity Test based oh the masculinity and femininity traits given in the undergraduate thesis of Marañon (1992) and a modified self - disclosure test by Miller, Berg and Archer (1983) were utilized for data gathering. It was found in the study that among the 40 male respondents, 52.5% scored high in the masculinity items while 47.5% scored high in the femininity items. While the female respondents showed a big difference wherein 70% of them scored high in the femininity items and only 25% of them scored high the masculinity items. On the other hand, five percent of the female respondents were found to be androgynous. Patterns of self-disclosure showed that three fourths (3/4) of the male and female respondents prefer to self-disclose to their same sex and only one fourth of them would self-disclose more to their opposite sex or to both male and female friends. The results revealed that there is a significant correlation between the following relationships: a.) Males’ masculinity level and their self-disclosure to male friend; b.) Males’ masculinity level and their self-disclosure to female friend; c.) Males’ femininity level and their self-disclosure to male friend; d.) Males’ femininity level and their self-disclosure to female friend; e.) Females’ femininity level and their self-disclosure to female friend; f.) Females’ femininity level and their self-disclosure to male friend. However, based on a t-critical 0.304, the following have shown weak relationship with each other. It is difficult to conclude that the level of masculinity and femininity generally affects the pattern of self-disclosure of UPV freshmen students. It was also found in the study that the following have no significant relationship with each other: a.) Females’ masculinity level and their self-disclosure to female friend; b.) Females’ masculinity level and their self-disclosure to male friend.