title: Situational influences on gender differences in agency and communion.
abstract: Gender differences were examined in the context of situational effects. Participants monitored interpersonal behavior for 20 days, using an event-sampling strategy. The monitored behaviors reflected dominance and submissiveness (components of agency) and agreeableness and quarrelsomeness (components of communion). The situations reflected differences in the status of work roles: interactions with boss, co-worker, and supervisee. Status influenced agency. Individuals were most agentic when with a supervisee and least agentic when with a boss. Gender did not influence agency but did influence communal behaviors. Women were more communal regardless of social role status; women were especially communal with other women, compared with men with men. Findings about agency supported a social role theory interpretation of gender differences. Results for communion were consistent with accounts of the influence of sex segregation on interpersonal relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desaulniers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D012380:Role; D012737:Sex Factors