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ny model (1975) which suggests that individuals possessing both masculine and feminine traits, namely androgynous individuals, were behaviourally more adaptable than just being masculine or feminine.

Bem found androgyny to stand out as a category of people whose sex-role compliance permits them to adopt behaviours that promote higher levels of adaptability and autonomy (Middlebrook-Stangl, 1992). Such adaptability allows these people to utilize behaviours that are adequate to any situation without considering the stereotypes as feminine or masculine that might exist around such behaviours. Behaviours formerly viewed as sex-typed are presently required by all individuals at different times; hence, granting them more adaptability in various situations (Bem, 1974). In support of Bem, Wilson and Cook (1984) argued that 'the new sex-role ideal is androgyny, the possession of high levels of socially valued, independent masculine and feminine characteristics by men and women'.

Contrary to what was expected, androgyny was reported to be non-significantly related to better life satisfaction. This finding sheds doubt on various studies (e.g Gale-Ross, Baird and Towson, 2009; Napholz, 1994) that have found androgynous individuals to be more satisfied with their lives than individuals who were abiding by their sex-typed roles. One reason for such results might be attributed to age. Participants in this study were students in their late adolescence who maybe are still searching for stability in their lives compared to the sample consisting mainly of older adults in the studies cited above. Being full-time students, most of them being financially dependent on their parents, may not have provided them with an opportunity to accurately assess their level of life satisfaction.

具有男性特征的个体比具有女性特征个体产生更高水平的自尊?-Would individuals with masculine traits generate higher levels of self-esteem than those with feminine traits?

Putting aside androgyny and considering only masculine traits versus feminine traits, Whitley (1983), Harter (1999), James (1890), and, Burnett, Anderson and Heppner (1998), it has been advanced that masculine attributes would predict higher levels of self-esteem than possessing feminine traits. Indeed, the overall picture that emerged from this study is that there was a modest, and theoretically supported, relation between possessing masculine traits and high levels of self-esteem. However, this was not the case for masculinity and life satisfaction. It was found that possessing feminine traits was significantly associated to higher levels of life satisfaction.

Such findings provide support for the masculine model brought forward by Bem (1975). The latter suggested that possessing masculine traits was associated with being more psychologically composed for both men and women. Indeed, a modest relation was found between males possessing masculine traits and self-esteem and a strong relation was established between females reporting masculine attributes and self-esteem. Supporting this trend, Antill and Cunningham (1979) argued that masculinity alone could be the principal determinant of self-esteem, even if androgyny has been advanced as the more flexible condition of human functioning. In every case they considered, masculinity had a positive and significant correlation with self-esteem for both sexes, whereas the associations with feminity were, in mo