Determinants of Attitudes toward Women in the Military

Abstract

In recent decades, an increasing number of women are joining the military, which has been historically a male-dominated institution. This study examined attitudes toward women in the military and the factors associated with them. The study was conducted on a random sample of 895 active service members from the Croatian Armed Forces (445 men and 450 women). The study findings indicate a moderately high approval of women in the military, but with the existence of significant gender differences. Men expressed more negative attitudes toward women in the military when compared to women. In addition, the results of the regression analyses indicated that, among men, hostile sexism, satisfaction with professional contacts with women in the military, and professional status were significantly associated with their attitudes toward women in the military. The results also showed that, among women, hostile sexism, frequency of professional contacts with other women, and educational level were significantly associated with their attitudes toward women in the