The Smiling Sunbather and the Chivalrous Football Player: Young Adolescents' Images of the Ideal Woman and Man

Abstract

One hundred and eighty-one ninth grade students were randomly as-signed the ideal man or ideal woman version of a questionnaire in which they ranked ten qualities of the ideal person and drew a picture of the ideal person doing something. Four ideal types emerged. Girls depicted the ideal man as "the chivalrous football player" (kind and honest, fun loving, smiling, and bringing flowers). Boys depicted the ideal man as"the frowning football player" (fun loving, frowning, and engaged in sports). Girls described the ideal woman as "the smiling hardworker' (kind and honest, smiling, intelligent, and having adult responsibilities). Boys perceived the ideal woman as "the smiling sunbather' (good looking, sexy, smiling, and engaged in leisurely activities). Some exceptions were noted, but overall, gender differences in the emerging values of young adolescents were reflected in their ideal images.