Men's Misperceptions of Women's Interpersonal Behaviors and Sexual Harassment (From Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Perspectives, Frontiers, and Response Strategies, P 67-84, 1996, Margaret S Stockdale, ed. -- See NCJ-162499)

• NCJ Number: 162503
• Author(s): F E Saal
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter describes a series of studies designed to investigate the hypothesis that men who tend to misperceive women's friendly, outgoing behavior as a sign of sexual interest or availability are more likely to endorse and ultimately engage in the sexual harassment of women.

Abstract

Some of the research explored relationships between men's misperceptions of women's friendliness as sexiness and samples of self-reported behaviors or characteristics that might render those men more likely to tolerate or even endorse sexually harassing behaviors. Other studies examined men's reactions to videotaped or written scenarios that depicted various forms of sexual harassment. With minor exceptions, data reported from the studies reviewed do not support the hypothesis. Whether male subjects responded to statements that reflect callous attitudes and sexually aggressive behavior toward women, or reacted to videotaped or written portrayals of other men engaging in behaviors that might be construed as sexual harassment, the men in these studies who were more prone to misperceiving women's friendly behaviors as "sexy" were generally not more likely to respond or react in ways that reflected tolerance for or endorsement of men who sexually harass women. The chapter discusses theoretical and practical implications of these findings for advancing the understanding and facilitating the elimination of sexual harassment. 21 references