Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI)

What is Ambivalent Sexism?

The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), developed by Peter Glick and Susan T. Fiske (1996), is based on the idea that sexism toward women is not simply hostile — it is often ambivalent. It combines hostile sexism (overt antagonism) with benevolent sexism (subjectively positive but restrictive attitudes that cast women as needing protection, adoration, and care). Both forms serve to justify and maintain traditional gender roles and power structures.

The Two Subscales

Hostile Sexism (HS): 11 items measuring overtly antagonistic beliefs: that women seek power over men, are overly sensitive, exaggerate discrimination, or compete unfairly.

Benevolent Sexism (BS): 11 items measuring attitudes that appear positive but keep women in traditional roles, organized into three subdimensions: Protective Paternalism, Complementary Gender Differentiation, and Heterosexual Intimacy.

Scoring

Each item is rated on a 0-5 scale (0 = disagree strongly, 5 = agree strongly). Items 6, 7, 9, 15, 20, and 22 are reverse-scored (6 minus the response) before averaging.

Subscale scores are the average of their items, ranging from 0 to 5. Higher scores indicate stronger endorsement of hostile or benevolent sexist beliefs.

Research Basis

The ASI has been validated in dozens of countries and languages. Research consistently shows that hostile and benevolent sexism are positively correlated and together predict support for traditional gender roles, gender inequality, and discriminatory behavior. The scale has become a standard measure in social psychology and gender studies.

Important Notice

This test measures social attitudes for educational and self-reflection purposes. It is not a diagnostic or clinical instrument. Attitude scores are not fixed identities — beliefs and views can change with experience and reflection.

References

• Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (1996). The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(3), 491-512. 10.1037/0022-3514.70.3.491