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Sexual Harassment and Psychosocial Maturity Outcomes among Young Adults Recalling Their First Adolescent Work Experiences

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Abstract

The research questions addressed gender differences in the subjective appraisal of teens experiencing sexual harassment, and the psychosocial maturation of male and female teens appraising such events as threatening to their well-being. Using survey methodology, U.S. undergraduate women (n = 316; 85% White Caucasian) and men (n = 270; 85% White Caucasian) reported on their earliest formal work experiences (participants’ average age was M = 19.03, SD = 1.87). Results indicated that women, more than men, were more upset by, and were more likely to label an event as, sexual harassment. Results further demonstrated that men, particularly men who appraised harassment as bothersome and relied on behavioral coping, reported detriment to maturity outcomes of autonomy and social responsibility. Implications for a “wimpy male” hypothesis are discussed.

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Acknowledgement

A message of gratitude goes to Lisa Balk, Tammy Lehmkuhl, Marie Papini, Jamie Ridens, Joanna Rinaldo, Jessica Wiemelt, and members of the Social Psychology Research Laboratory at Western Illinois University for assistance at various stages of research. Portions of this research were presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology in New Orleans, LA. Former name of the first author is Karen L. Harris.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL, 61455, USA

    Karen L. Sears & Robert C. Intrieri

  2. Department of Psychology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA

    Dennis R. Papini

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  1. Karen L. Sears
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Correspondence to Karen L. Sears.

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Sears, K.L., Intrieri, R.C. & Papini, D.R. Sexual Harassment and Psychosocial Maturity Outcomes among Young Adults Recalling Their First Adolescent Work Experiences. Sex Roles 64, 491–505 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9928-6

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