Gender Policing: Undergraduate Experience and Psychosocial Outcomes (2016)

Undergraduate: Garrett Ivey

Faculty Advisor: Mitch Prinstein
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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This study examined the social phenomenon of gender policing. Gender policing refers to the words and actions of individuals used to police gender expression, based on expected societal norms surrounding gender. Gender policing is a particular experience that occurs for individuals who are perceived as not adequately or accurately performing their gender, with the assumption that one's gender must be directly linked with "biological" sex. A total of 417 UNC students completed self-report questionnaires assessing their personal attitudes about and experiences of gender policing. Additionally, participants completed self-report measures of depression, loneliness, and sense of belonging. Consistent with hypotheses, experiences of gender policing were associated with higher levels of negative psychosocial outcomes. There was no difference in rates of experiencing gender policing by biological sex. However, sex was found to be a moderator of the relationship between experiencing gender policing and negative outcomes, such that the relationship was stronger among "biological" females.