Impressions of Childfree Women

Indianapolis, IN

Previous studies that examined attitudes toward women who willfully choose to be childfree showed these women were perceived negatively. The existing research, however, may reflect societal attitudes that were prevalent at the time. Plus, as more women delay or forgo parenthood due to professional goals, attributes traditionally given to childfree women may have been modified. This study explored current attitudes toward women who freely choose not to become mothers to see if these impressions have changed over time. Students (N= 170) from an introductory psychology course were given two measures: an open-ended measure of their overall feelings, either positive or negative, about women who choose to be childfree and a quantitative measure to discover what traits were commonly attributed to these women. The data are expected to show that attitudes have not changed significantly over time; with the dominant opinions of these women being insensitive, selfish, and not nurturing. The results of this research could highlight a potential obstacle that women who choose not to become mothers face in both their professional lives and their interpersonal relationships.