Based on the theory that political behavior is a function of psychological predispositions acquired during manifest and latent processes of political socialization, this research examined the relationships between selected psychological factors and nurse political participation. Focusing on civic orientation and sex-role self-concept, hypotheses were developed to test relationships between nurses' self-reported political activity and three civic orientation variables--sense of civic duty, psychological involvement in politics, and sense of political efficacy--and the dimensions of sex-role self-concept, masculinity and femininity.

A questionnaire consisting of selected conventional political acts, a rank-order measure of civic duty, a six-item psychological involvement in politics scale, the SRC Political Efficacy Scale, and the short form BSRI was mailed to a systematic random sample of 800 Arizona female registered nurses. The response rate was 37.8 percent.

Scores on five measures of political participation were computed: overall activity; two modes identified through factor analysis, voting and the campaign-lobby mode; and the two theoretical elements of the latter, campaign activity and citizen-lobbying. Each was analyzed separately with the five psychological variables employing analysis of variance, Pearson's product moment correlation, and multiple regression. Alpha was set at.05.

In most political acts, Arizona nurses participated at rates higher than the general population but lower than those previously reported for nurses. Scores on the five participation measures were significantly related to the three civic orientation variables and the masculine dimension of sex-role self-concept (p $<$.01). Increased political participation, overall and by mode, was associated with greater psychological involvement, increased political efficacy, and the internalization of masculine traits. While an active participant sense of duty was associated with increases in overall activity and participation via the more demanding campaign-lobby modes, increased voting was associated with both passive and active participant orientations. No relationship was found between femininity and participation.

After effects of significant demographic variables were controlled, psychological factors accounted for 31.6 percent of the variance in overall participation; 16.0 percent in voting; 29.8 percent in the campaign-lobby mode; 30.9 percent in campaign activity; and 21.9 percent in citizen-lobbying.