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Gender orientation and emergent leader behavior

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Abstract

Two studies compared the effects of masculinity and femininity on rater and ratee evaluations of emergent leader behavior in mixed- and same-sex groups. Data were collected in two consensus-seeking studies using the same procedures; only the gender composition of the task groups was changed. The first study was composed of 39 female and 21 male students in 15 mixed-sex groups, and the second study included 96 female students in 22 same-sex groups. Masculinity and femininity were measured with the Bem Sex Role Inventory [L. Bem, (1974) “The Measurement of Psychology Androgyny,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 42, pp. 155–162]. Contrary to research and theory, masculinity was not associated with peer-rated leadership, yet femininity was correlated with two measures of self-rated leadership.

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Gurman, E.B., Long, K. Gender orientation and emergent leader behavior. Sex Roles 27, 391–400 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00289947

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