Using Network Analysis to Identify Central Facets of Androgynous Development Between Sexes in Chinese Adolescents

Androgyny, characterized by high levels of both masculinity and femininity traits, is linked to adaptive psychological outcomes. However, existing research has typically examined these traits at the latent variable level, obscuring the specific trait facets that are central to androgynous development. Using network analysis, this study investigated the androgynous structure network at the level of trait facets to identify the most influential facets and explore sex-specific structures. A convenience sample of 1270 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 15.41, SD = 0.88; 611 females) completed the validated Chinese Sex-Role Inventory, which measures 32 facets of masculinity and femininity traits. In the full sample, "calm" exhibited the highest expected influence (EI = 1.11). Crucially, the masculinity facet "magnanimous" was the most powerful bridge to the femininity network (bridge EI = 1.56), particularly for males (bridge EI = 1.18); the femininity facet "thoughtful" (bridge EI = 0.97) was the most powerful bridge to the masculinity network, especially for females (bridge EI = 0.86). Significant sex differences were observed in global EI, with females showing greater global network activation (p = 0.008). The sex difference was additionally evident in "thoughtful" (male < female, p = 0.022) and "magnanimous" (male > female, p = 0.043). Such findings highlight the pivotal roles of "magnanimous" for males and "thoughtful" for females in fostering androgyny. The study advances the understanding of androgyny by delineating its facet-level structure and underscores the value of sex-specific strategies in fostering balanced gender-typed trait development. The convenience sample may limit the generalizability of these findings.