Effect of Gender Identity on Risky Behaviors: the Moderator Effects of Risk and Benefice Perception

Numerous psychologists ascribe gender differences in accidentology to gender roles and gender stereotypes and current studies highlighted the causal relation between masculinity and risky behavior, showing that gender identity is a better predictor of physical risk-taking than biological sex. For now, this effect of masculinity has not been explored on the different domains of risk-taking. The present study aims to observe the effect of sex stereotype conformity on risky behaviors in different domains and moderator effects of risk and benefice perception on this relation. 879 respondents (315 males; 564 females), aged 16-70 completed an on-line questionnaire. Sex stereotype conformity was assessed by a French version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Risk taking, perception of risk and benefice in 5 domains risk-taking were measured by a French version of the Domain Specific Risk-Taking. Regressions analyses have been conducted to show that male gender and conformity to masculine stereotype reinforces risky behaviors, whereas conformity to feminine stereotype inhibits risky behaviors, independently of gender, and that these results depend on the risky domain. Moderation analyses were carried out to explore the effect of perceived benefices and risk on relationship between gender conformity and risk taking. The effect of social roles and gender stereotypes, leading to the enhancement of risk taking among men and masculine people are discussed.