GENDER SELF-CONCEPT IN PERSONAL THEORIES OF REALITY

The study is focused on personal theories of reality in the context of gender issues. Empirical findings are presented with the analysis of contents of basic personal beliefs (Epstein) in gender-stereotyped and androgynous men and women. Significant differences were shown in positivity of beliefs in relationship to gender self-concept, which were relatively independent of participants' biological sex. A masculine component of self-concept appears as beneficial for both androgynous men and women in terms of perception and evaluation of reality where masculine optics seems to be favored.