Volume 13 - Issue 74
/ February 2024
51
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.74.02.4
How to Cite:
Flotskaya, N., Aryabkina, I., Bulanova, S., Ponomareva, M., & Flotskiy, N. (2024). Development of gedner identity in nenets
adolescents – representatives of indigenous small-numbered peoples of the north. Amazonia Investiga, 13(74), 51-61.
https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.74.02.4
Development of gedner identity in nenets adolescents – representatives
of indigenous small-numbered peoples of the north
РАЗВИТИЕ ГЕНДЕРНОЙ ИДЕНТИЧНОСТИ У ПОДРОСТКОВ – ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛЕЙ
КОРЕННЫХ МАЛОЧИСЛЕННЫХ НАРОДОВ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОСТИ НЕНЦЫ
Received: December 28, 2023 Accepted: february 15, 2024
Written by:
Natalia Flotskaya1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1755-0901
Irina Aryabkina2
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8765-2153
Svetlana Bulanova3
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9604-2958
Maria Ponomareva4
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2300-7550
Nikolay Flotskiy5
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1079-142X
Abstract
The current article is concerned with studying
specific features of gender identity development
in ethnic Nenets adolescents – representatives of
indigenous small-numbered peoples living in the
Russian High North. The study involved a
comparative analysis of gender identity
development in ethnic Nenets and ethnic Russian
male and female adolescents.
The article presents the results of an empirical
study conducted using the Bem Sex-Role
Inventory (BSRI). The respondents in the
empirical study were 99 Nenets adolescents aged
12-15 years (54 boys and 45 girls); 121 ethnic
Russian adolescents aged 12-15 years (63 boys
and 58 girls).
The analysis of the dynamics of gender identity
development in Nenets adolescents highlighted
changes in representation of masculinity and
femininity, as well as changes in distribution of
1
Doctor of Psychology, Director of Higher School of Psychology, Pedagogy and Physical Education, Northern (Arctic)
Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Russian Federation.
2
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor of the Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical Institute, Russian Federation.
3
Candidate of Pedagogy, Vice Director of Higher School of Psychology, Pedagogy and Physical Education, Northern (Arctic)
Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Russian Federation.
4
Candidate of Psychology, Associate Professor of the Department of Special Pedagogy and Psychology, Northern (Arctic) Federal
University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Russian Federation.
5
Candidate of Psychology, Lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages and Russian as a Foreign Language, Northern State
Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation.
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gender identity types in the period of transition
from the age of 12-13 years to the age of 14-15
years. The comparative analysis of gender
identity in ethnic Nenets and ethnic Russian
adolescents highlighted the presence of both
similar and differing trends in the process of
gender identity development. The results of the
study enrich the understanding of the
development of gender identity in Nenets
adolescents and provide new information about
the particularities of this process in minority
indigenous peoples of the High North.
Keywords: Gender identity, masculinity,
femininity, adolescence, nenets adolescents,
russian adolescents.
Introduction
Among the issues typical of modern day society,
those related to gender identity development in a
person hold a special place. Understanding the
phenomenon of gender identity contributes to a
deeper understanding of human development in
social and cultural contexts. Gender identity is
one of the basic personality characteristics and
one of the aspects of self-comprehension,
incorporating self-perception as a representative
of a certain gender. The formation of gender
identity continues during one’s lifetime.
Adolescence is a sensitive life period for gender
identity development. During adolescence, as
part of the formation of a new level of self-
comprehension, a relatively stable concept of
oneself as a representative of a certain gender
starts to form, an individual choice of the
structure of gender behaviour is made, and an
“image” of one’s own gender role emerges.
Adoption of a gender role is a process closely
related to norms and customs of a corresponding
culture. Therefore, research interest is focused on
studying gender identity development in
adolescents who represent indigenous small-
numbered peoples whose lifestyle, customs and
traditions are very specific. The Nenets are one
of indigenous ethnic groups living in the Russian
High North. They lead a nomadic lifestyle.
Consequently, we can assume that the content of
gender roles in this community reflects the
specifics of its social characteristics.
Literature review
Characteristic aspects of the gender identity
phenomenon are reflected in contemporary
research (Bakunova et al., 2017; Baranovskaya,
2016; Vasilenko & Brovkina, 2017, and the
others). Describing the concept of gender
identity, I. S. Kon (Kon, 2004) emphasizes the
fundamental character of one’s sense of
belonging to a particular sex, identifying oneself
as a male, a female, or as a representative of an
“intermediate” sex. L. B. Shneider points at the
fact that a subject with a certain gender identity
fits in with the corresponding gender role and
demonstrates the consonance of self-
comprehension and behaviour (Shneider, 2007).
V. F. Petrenko points out that gender is reflected
within a personality, and is a process and a result
of self-reflection at the same time (Petrenko,
1983). Gender identity is represented by a multi-
level system of correlation between personality
and physical, psychophysiological,
psychological, and sociocultural concepts of
“masculinity” (manhood) and “femininity”
(womanhood) as independent variables. When
considering gender identity, masculinity and
femininity come to the fore (Kletsina, 2018) as
they contain characteristics of behavioural,
Flotskaya, N., Aryabkina, I., Bulanova, S., Ponomareva, M., Flotskiy, N. / Volume 13 - Issue 74: 51-61 / February, 2024
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psychological, and somatic attributes typical for
males and females. Research by S. Bem (Bem,
2004) demonstrates that masculinity involves
displaying traditionally masculine behaviour,
femininity – traditionally feminine behaviour,
and both constructs are not opposite to each
other, but independent. In addition, the
researcher describes another construct –
androgyny, which she considers a successful
combination of traditionally masculine and
traditionally feminine psychological qualities. S.
Bem has proposed the concept of psychological
androgyny, according to which she distinguishes
four types of gender identity: the
undifferentiated, the androgynous, the
masculine, and the feminine. The
undifferentiated type of gender identity is
characterized by low levels of both femininity
and masculinity. The androgynous type, on the
contrary, is characterized by high levels of both
femininity and masculinity. The feminine type of
gender identity is characterized by high levels of
femininity and low levels of masculinity. As for
the masculine type of gender identity, there are
correspondingly high levels of masculinity and
low levels of femininity (Bem, 2004).
Contemporary studies point out that gender
identity is formed by social processes, is related
to society, and is a most critical regulator of
human behaviour in the social environment
(Asmolov, 2007; Kletsina, 2018; Tereshenkova,
2005; and others). Development of gender
identity depends on practices and customs of the
corresponding society and culture. Gender
identity forms as a result of a complex biosocial
process combining ontogenesis, gender
socialization, and development of self-
comprehension (Shneider, 2007). As a
consequence, the characteristic aspects of a
society, determined by its cultural traditions,
history, and values, will inevitably influence the
varieties of gender roles and their substantive
characteristics.
Development of gender identity and adjustment
of the content of one’s own gender role continues
during one’s lifetime. At the same time,
adolescence is the most significant period for
acquiring gender identity (Peregudina, 2011;
Romanov, 1997; Rymarev, 2006; Syomina,
2003; and others). In adolescence, as part of the
formation of a new level of self-comprehension,
a relatively stable concept of oneself as a
representative of a certain gender starts to form,
an individual choice of the structure of gender
behaviour is made, and an “image” of one’s own
gender role emerges (Remschmidt, 1994). When
adolescents begin to grow aware of their
physiological make-up, interest towards the
opposite sex appears as well as adoption of
gender behaviour styles – this becomes the basis
for one’s sense of belonging to a particular
gender (Flotskaya, 2006).
E. A. Vasilenko, E. I. Brovkina emphasize that
formation of gender identity in adolescents
proceeds to completion by the age of 13-14
years; in girls this process goes faster than in
boys. The authors draw attention to the fact that
gender identity development in most Russian
teenagers today is based on traditional gender
stereotypes of masculinity and femininity
(Vasilenko & Brovkina, 2017).
A study of gender identity by I. V. Romanov
revealed the presence of a negative phase in the
age-related gender identity crisis, which boys and
girls experience at the age of 12-13 years. A
distinctive feature of this phase is the weakening
of orientation towards masculine images in boys,
and the presence of an undifferentiated type of
gender identity in girls. The author points out that
adolescents overcome the crisis by the age of 14-
15 years, and begin to move towards a positive
gender identity (Romanov, 1997).
Since the formation of gender identity in an
adolescent is a complex process of acquisition of
a gender role derived from the norms and
customs of the corresponding culture (Asmolov,
2007), researchers are particularly interested in
studying gender identity development in non-
mainstream cultures and societies. Indigenous
small-numbered peoples can be seen as specific
communities of people who in many respects
have preserved the ancient mode of life, ethnic
customs, beliefs, and traditions. As a
consequence, the content of gender roles in these
communities may have particular aspects. Thus,
the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the
High North, who live in harsh climatic
conditions, far away from centers of industry and
culture, have retained a nomadic or a semi-
nomadic lifestyle and traditional activities
(reindeer herding, fishing, hunting). Therefore,
their ideas of masculinity and femininity models,
and of the distribution of gender roles are likely
to have specific features. A.G. Asmolov
emphasizes that gender identity development is a
complex process when a teenager adopts a
gender role derived from practices and customs
of the corresponding culture (Asmolov, 2007).
I.P. Khabarov in his study (Khabarov, 2003)
analyzed gender specifics in ethnic Sakha
adolescents. The author notes that gender identity
development in those adolescents is influenced
by harsh climatic conditions and life
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circumstances. Significant efforts have always
been made to cultivate masculine traits in Sakha
boys, since the survival of the ethnic group in
harsh conditions depended on this. However, an
interpenetration of “masculine” and “feminine”
images takes place in the minds of today’s Sakha
teenagers; they become more androgynous. Male
adolescents begin to demonstrate the presence of
feminine traits, while female adolescents begin to
demonstrate the presence of masculine traits.
One of the indigenous small-numbered peoples
living in the Russian High North are the Nenets.
The Nenets lead a nomadic life, which has
allowed them to preserve traditions, culture, and
identity of their ethnic group. They are the
descendants of the indigenous population of the
White Sea coast and live in the Nenets
Autonomous District. The traditional occupation
of the Nenets is reindeer herding, in summer they
practise hunting and fishing.
It should be noted that research on gender
identity in adolescent representatives of
indigenous peoples of the High North is
practically non-existent in modern psychology,
and research on gender identity in ethnic Nenets
adolescents has no previous history.
In view of the above, we assumed that gender
identity in Nenets adolescents as representatives
of indigenous small-numbered peoples would
have particular dynamic developmental features
and specific character in comparison with gender
identity in ethnic Russian adolescents. We have
conducted an empirical study to test this
hypothesis.
Materials and methods
To identify specific characteristics of gender
identity in male and female Nenets adolescents,
we conducted an empirical study in the Nenets
Autonomous District of the Arkhangelsk Region
of the Russian Federation. To achieve the
research objectives, we compared ethnic Nenets
adolescents to ethnic Russian adolescents living
in the Arkhangelsk Region of the Russian
Federation. The respondents in the study were 99
ethnic Nenets teenagers aged 12-15 years (54
boys and 45 girls); and 121 ethnic Russian
teenagers aged 12-15 years (63 boys and 58
girls). During the formation of sample groups,
the respondents indicated their ethnicity. The
respondents in the current study include
teenagers who identify themselves as ethnic
Nenets.
At the organization stage, we prepared a
documentation package, which included a study
relevance reasoning, a description of its aims,
objectives and stages, and a description of the
experimental techniques. This documentation
package was submitted to the Ministry of
Education and Science of the Arkhangelsk
Region. As a result, we have received a
permission to conduct the study.
We identified comprehensive schools located in
the Arkhangelsk region, which served as the base
for the study. Before the study we organized
meetings with the parents of our future
respondents at schools, and explained aims,
objectives, and procedure of the study to them.
Parents or other legal representatives of the
students gave their written consent for the
adolescents to participate in the study.
The diagnostic study was carried out in
subgroups of 10 – 12 people. The researcher gave
the instructions for completing the tests, and the
students filled in the answer sheets. When
respondents had questions, the researcher
approached them and provided the necessary
explanations individually.
In our study we used the Bem Sex-Role
Inventory (BSRI). This tool helps to measure the
degree of expressiveness of masculinity and
femininity in adolescent boys and girls, and then,
based on the ratio, to identify their type of gender
identity. Within the study, the respondents
assessed their personality characteristics. The list
of sixty characteristics to be assessed included
both traditionally masculine and feminine
qualities, as well as neutral qualities. The
processing of the results included the calculation
of the total number of points on each of the
scales, which determined the degree of
expressiveness of femininity and masculinity
characteristics in each test subject. To identify
the type of gender identity, individual scores of
femininity and masculinity were compared to the
group average identified by calculating the
median value. Individual scores equal to or above
the median were considered high, while scores
below the median were considered low. High
masculinity scores combined with low femininity
scores correspond to the masculine type of
gender identity. High femininity scores
combined with low masculinity scores
correspond to the feminine type of gender
identity. If both masculinity and femininity
scores are high, it identifies the androgynous type
of gender identity. Low masculinity and
femininity scores identify the undifferentiated
type of gender identity (Ilyin, 2003).
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The research data were processed using SPSS
Statistics 22. We used the Student’s t-test for
independent samples to assess the significance of
differences in the comparison of masculinity and
femininity scores in groups of respondents;
Fisher’s test was used to compare the degree of
expressiveness of gender identity types.
Results
While studying the dynamics of gender identity
development in adolescent representatives of
indigenous small-numbered peoples of the
Russian North, we analyzed changes in
masculinity and femininity scores as well as
changes in distribution of gender identity types in
Nenets boys and girls in the period of transition
from the age of 12-13 years to the age of 14-15
years. The dynamics of gender identity indicators
in male and female Nenets adolescents are
presented in Table 1.
Table 1.
Expressiveness of masculinity and femininity characteristics in Nenets boys and girls aged 12-13 and 14-
15 years.
Nenets boys
Nenets girls
12-13 years
14-15 years
12-13 years
14-15 years
Masculinity
0,67±0,04
0,74±0,03
0,62±0,04
0,60±0,03
Femininity
0,53±0,03
0,57±0,03
0,74±0,03
0,75±0,03
The analysis of the results of studying gender
identity in Nenets adolescents demonstrates that,
in total, masculinity scores (M=0,67±0,04)
prevail over femininity scores (M=0,53±0,03) in
Nenets boys aged 12-13 years. In Nenets girls
aged 12-13 years, in total, femininity scores
(M=0,74±0,03) prevail over masculinity scores
(M=0,62±0,04). In the period of transition from
the age of 12 years to the age of 15 years, there
are no significant changes in masculinity and
femininity scores in Nenets boys and Nenets
girls: in boys, masculinity scores (M=0,74±0,03)
continue to prevail over femininity scores
(M=0,57±0,03), and in girls, femininity scores
(M=0,75±0,03) continue to prevail over
masculinity scores (M=0,60±0,03). These results
indicate that manifestation of traditionally
masculine behaviour in boys and manifestation
of traditionally feminine behaviour in girls
remain stable in Nenets adolescents during the
adolescence period.
The analysis of distribution of gender identity
types in Nenets boys aged 12-13 years shows that
the predominant type of their gender identity is
masculine (32%) (Fig. 1). The undifferentiated
type is less represented (26%). The least common
types of gender identity in Nenets boys aged 12-
13 years are the androgynous (21%) and the
feminine (21%) types.
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Figure 1. Distribution of gender identity types in Nenets boys in the period from the age of 12 years to the
age of 15 years.
A number of changes are observed in distribution
of gender identity types in Nenets boys in the
period of transition from the age of 12 years to
the age of 15 years. The number of respondents
with the androgynous type of gender identity
increases significantly (from 21% to 39%) (p ≤
0,01), this type of gender identity becomes
predominant. By the age of 14-15 years, the
representation of the masculine type of gender
identity in Nenets boys decreases (27%), the
undifferentiated (18%) and feminine (16%) types
of gender identity become the least common. An
increase in the number of respondents with the
androgynous type of gender identity is
accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in the
number of respondents with an undifferentiated
type of gender identity. These results indicate
that more individuals with pronounced masculine
and feminine traits appear among Nenets boys in
the adolescence period.
The analysis of the distribution of gender identity
types in Nenets girls aged 12-13 years shows that
the predominant type is the undifferentiated type
(41%) (Fig. 2.). The androgynous type is less
represented (23%). The least common types of
gender identity identified in Nenets girls at the
age of 12-13 years are the feminine (18%) and
the masculine types (18%).
32%
21%
21%
26%
Boys aged 12-13 years
Masculine Feminine
27%
16%
39%
18%
Boys aged 14-15 years
Androgynous Undifferentiated
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Figure 2. Distribution of gender identity types in Nenets girls in the period from the age of 12 years to the
age of 15 years.
In the period of transition from the age of 12
years to the age of 15 years, a number of changes
are observed in distribution of gender identity
types in Nenets girls. The predominant type of
gender identity in Nenets girls at the age of 14-
15 years is androgynous (30%). There is a trend
towards a decrease in representation of the
undifferentiated type of gender identity (from
41% to 26%) (p ≤ 0,05). The least common types
of gender identity identified in Nenets girls at the
age of 14-15 years are the feminine (22%) and
the masculine types (22%). The decrease in the
number of respondents with the undifferentiated
type of gender identity takes place
simultaneously with an increase in the number of
respondents with the androgynous type of gender
identity. These results indicate that the number of
individuals with a low degree of manifestation of
masculine and feminine qualities decreases
among Nenets girls during the adolescence
period.
Studying the characteristic aspects of gender
identity development in adolescent
representatives of indigenous small-numbered
peoples of the Russian North, we analyzed the
characteristic aspects of masculinity and
femininity manifestation, as well as of
distribution of gender identity types in Nenets
boys and girls aged 12-15 years in comparison
with ethnic Russian adolescents of the same age.
The specificity of gender identity indicators in
ethnic Nenets and ethnic Russian male and
female adolescents is presented in Table 2.
18%
18%
23%
41%
Girls aged 12-13 years
Masculine Feminine
22%
22%
30%
26%
Girls aged 14-15 years
Androgynous Undifferentiated
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Table 2.
Expressiveness of masculinity and femininity characteristics in ethnic Nenets and ethnic Russian boys and
girls at the age of 12-15 years.
Ethnic Nenets adolescents
Ethnic Russian adolescents
Boys
Girls
Boys
Girls
Masculinity
0,71±0,03
0,61±0,02**
0,69±0,03
0,69±0,02**
Femininity
0,55±0,02**
0,75±0,03
0,63±0,02**
0,78±0,03
Note: ** - р ≤ 0,01.
The analysis of the results of studying gender
identity in boys aged 12-15 years shows that the
femininity score in Nenets boys is significantly
lower than in their ethnic Russian peers (p ≤
0,01). These results indicate that traditionally
feminine qualities are less represented in the sex-
role model of Nenets boys aged 12-15 years.
Regarding masculinity, no significant
differences were found in the studied groups of
respondents, which speaks for similar trends in
representation of traditionally masculine
qualities in sex-role models of Nenets and
Russian boys at the age of 12-15 years.
The analysis of the results of studying gender
identity in girls aged 12-15 years shows that the
masculinity score in Nenets girls is significantly
lower than in their ethnic Russian peers (p ≤
0,01). These results indicate that traditionally
masculine qualities are less represented in the
sex-role model of Nenets girls at the age of 12-
15 years. Regarding femininity, no significant
differences were found in the studied groups of
respondents, which attests to similar trends in
representation of traditionally feminine qualities
in the sex-role models of Nenets and Russian
girls at the age of 12-15 years.
The analysis of distribution of gender identity
types in boys and girls aged 12-15 years makes it
possible to identify particular features in
distribution of gender identity types in Nenets
adolescents in comparison with their ethnic
Russian peers (Table 3).
Table 3.
Distribution of gender identity types in Nenets and Russian boys and girls at the age of 12-15 years.
Gender identity types
Ethnic Nenets adolescents
Ethnic Russian adolescents
Boys
Girls
Boys
Girls
Masculine type
30%
20%
25%
29%
Feminine type
18%
20%*
16%
33%*
Androgynous type
30%*
27%
42%*
29%
Undifferentiated type
22%
33%**
17%
9%**
Note: * - р ≤ 0,05; ** - р ≤ 0,01.
A trend can be seen towards the androgynous
gender identity type being less represented
among Nenets boys aged 12-15 years than among
their ethnic Russian peers (p ≤ 0,05). No
significant differences were found in distribution
of other types of gender identity in adolescent
boys. These results indicate that respondents with
pronounced both masculine and feminine
qualities are met less often among Nenets boys
than among their Russian peers.
The undifferentiated type of gender identity is
significantly more common (p ≤ 0,01) among
Nenets girls aged 12-15 years than among their
ethnic Russian peers. In addition, there is a trend
toward the feminine type of gender identity being
less represented (p ≤ 0,05) among Nenets girls.
No significant differences were found in
distribution of the androgynous and the
masculine types of gender identity in Nenets girls
and their ethnic Russian peers. These results
indicate that respondents with feebly pronounced
both masculine and feminine qualities are found
among Nenets girls more often than among their
ethnic Russian peers, while respondents with
pronounced feminine qualities are less common
among Nenets girls than among their ethnic
Russian peers.
Discussion
The analysis of gender identity dynamics in
Nenets adolescents over the adolescence period
has made it possible to identify certain trends in
the process. The trend for preserving the
predominance of manifestations of traditionally
masculine behaviour in Nenets boys and
predominance of manifestations of traditionally
feminine behaviour in Nenets girls is
characteristic of the majority of Russian
adolescents in total (Vasilenko & Brovkina,
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2017; Peregudina, 2011; Romanov, 1997;
Rymarev, 2006; and others).
The trend toward an increase in the number of
adolescents with the androgynous type of gender
identity, and a decrease in the number of
adolescents with the undifferentiated type of
gender identity, characteristic of both Nenets
boys and girls, can be related to age-specific
changes taking place in adolescence. This period
is generally characterized by personal identity
formation, elaboration of a self-concept, and
choice of behaviour patterns, which in the
context of gender identity is manifested in a
clearer identification of one’s own sex-role
model (Lukyanenko, 2007; Tereshenkova, 2005;
Rymarev, 2006; and others).
The comparative analysis of gender identity in
ethnic Nenets and ethnic Russian adolescents has
made it possible to identify both similar and
differing trends in this process. Similar trends
include the predominance of traditionally
masculine behaviour in boys and traditionally
feminine behaviour in girls among both Nenets
and Russian adolescents. At the same time, it is
important to note the presence of specific
features in gender identity development of
Nenets adolescents in comparison with their
ethnic Russian peers. Thus, there is a trend
toward traditional gender characteristics of the
opposite sex being less pronounced in Nenets
boys and girls. This can be due to certain
traditions of upbringing which do not encourage
manifestation of personal characteristics non-
standard for born gender, which is conditioned
by specific natural, climatic and socio-cultural
living conditions of indigenous small-numbered
peoples (Khabarov, 2003; Mironov, 2012;
Buchek, 2012; and others).
In addition, a trend can be noted toward slowing
down the rate of gender identity formation in
Nenets boys in comparison with their ethnic
Russian peers, which is manifested in the lower
frequency of occurrence of the androgynous sex-
role model, characteristic of dynamic processes
of gender identity development in Nenets
adolescents. The same trend toward slowing
down the rate of gender identity formation can be
noted in Nenets girls in comparison with their
ethnic Russian peers, which is manifested in
greater prevalence of the undifferentiated sex-
role model, which should be decreasing in
adolescence. The presence of such a trend in both
Nenets boys and Nenets girls сan be related to
difficulties of socialization, typical for
representatives of indigenous small-numbered
peoples of the North (Buchek, 2012;
Vinokurova, 2003; Deryabina et al., 2011;
Indenbaum, 2008; Lobova, 2010; Shipulina,
2010; and others).
A comparison of the results of the current study
of gender identity in Nenets adolescents to the
results obtained by other researchers is not
possible since at present there are no other
studies of gender identity in Nenets adolescents.
Thus, summarizing the results of the study, we
would like to point out that these results were
obtained from an experimental sample group of
adolescents aged 12–15 years by comparing the
survey results of ethnic Nenets adolescent
respondents to those of ethnic Russian adolescent
respondents, focusing on the indicators of
masculinity, femininity, and the prevalence of
gender identity types in accordance with the S.
Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) technique. This
determines the limitations of our study.
Conclusions
The analysis of gender identity dynamics in
Nenets adolescents over the adolescence period
highlighted changes in representation of
masculinity and femininity, as well as in
distribution of gender identity types in the period
of transition from the age of 12-13 years to the
age of 14-15 years. The comparative analysis of
gender identity in ethnic Nenets and ethnic
Russian adolescents highlighted the presence of
both similar and differing trends in this process.
The results of the study enrich the scientific
understanding of the gender identity
phenomenon, elaborate and expand the vision of
gender identity formation process in
representatives of indigenous small-numbered
peoples of the High North. Identification of
specific features of gender identity development
of Nenets adolescents will help to update the
programs of psychological assistance and
support for adolescents in the aspect of
socialization and building life strategies.
The prospects for future research on gender
identity in representatives of indigenous small-
numbered peoples include studying other
components of gender identity in adolescents,
analyzing the dynamics of gender identity
development at different stages of ontogeny, and
comparing the results of studying gender identity
in ethnic Nenets to representatives of other
indigenous small-numbered peoples.
60
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
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