Perceived dominance in physicians: are female physicians under scrutiny?
OBJECTIVE
This research aims at identifying how specific physician verbal and nonverbal behaviors are related to perceived dominance of female and male physicians.


METHODS
Analogue patients (163 students) watched videotaped excerpts of eight physicians and indicated how dominant they perceived each physician to be.


RESULTS
Female physicians who spoke more, talked more while doing something else, spoke with louder voices, modulated their voices more, were oriented more toward the patients, sat at a smaller interpersonal distance, were more expansive, and had a more open arm position were perceived as more dominant. These relations were significantly more pronounced in female than in male physicians. With respect to verbal behavior, not agreeing with the patient, structuring the discussion, setting the agenda, and asking questions were related to being perceived as significantly more dominant in female than in male physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients interpret verbal and nonverbal female and male physicians' cues differently. If a behavior contradicts gender stereotypes regarding women, this behavior is perceived as particularly dominant in female physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
To provide optimal care, physicians need to be aware of the expectations their patients harbor toward them--especially expected behavior related to the gender of the physician.
Schmid Mast
Marianne
M
University of Neuchatel, Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, Neuchatel, Switzerland. marianne.schmid@unine.ch
Hall
Judith A
JA
Cronauer
Christina Klöckner
CK
Cousin
Gaëtan
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007697:Kinesics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012930:Social Dominance; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult