Changes in the Sex Patterning of Perceived Threats of Sanctions

In contrast to a recent survey conducted by S. Miller and S. S. Simpson (see record  1992-09399-001 ), 2 earlier surveys of adults, one conducted in 1972 (C. R. Tittle, 1980) and the other in 1982 (N. J. Finley and H. G. Grasmick, 1985), reported that women scored higher than men on measures of perceived threats of shame and embarrassment and of legal sanctions for violating the law. J. Hagan's (Hagan et al; see record  1988-14134-001 ) power-control theory, coupled with trends in labor force and household composition, is used to predict a decline over time in the magnitude of the effect of sex on perceived threats of sanctions. The 1982 survey is merged with an identical survey of 396 adults (54.3% were women) conducted in 1992 to determine whether men and women have become more alike in their perception of these threats. Evidence supporting the predictions from power-control theory is found for theft but not for assault. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)