Intergenerational Transmission of Benevolent Sexism from Mothers to Daughters and its Relation to Daughters’ Academic Performance and Goals

A questionnaire study addressed the intergenerational transmission of benevolent sexist beliefs (BS) from mothers to adolescent
daughters and influences of BS on daughters’ traditional goals, academic goals (i.e., getting an academic degree), and academic
performance. In addition, the role of mothers’ educational level and job status as predictors of their BS was explored. One
hundred sixty-four pairs of female adolescents and their mothers from Granada (Spain) completed questionnaires independently.
Hypotheses were tested in a path model. Results suggest that mothers’ BS is negatively predicted by their education but not
their job status. Mothers’ BS predicted daughters’ BS, which in turn negatively predicted daughters’goal to get an academic
degree and positively predicted daughters’ traditional goals. Daughters’ academic performance was positively predicted by
their goal to get an academic degree and negatively predicted by mothers’ BS. Results are discussed in terms of the socializing
influence of mothers’ sexist ideology on their daughters and its implications for the maintenance of traditional roles that
perpetuate gender inequalities.