Measuring Gender Identity

Psychologists have measured gender identity for the purpose of understanding an individual’s identification with the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal differences that are thought to be inherent to either the male or the female sex. Gender identity has also been measured in clinical settings for the assessment and treatment of individuals who have experienced gender identity–related physical and mental health symptoms. Through the investigation and development of gender identity measures, researchers have learned the cultural valuations of gendered traits that exist within the constructs of both gender and identity. This entry describes the way in which psychologists define, understand, and measure gender identity in empirical research. What follows is an examination of both the social understandings and the empirical measurements of gender identity. For contextual ...