Perspective Taking Explains Gender Differences in Late Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Disadvantaged Groups

Abstract

Adolescents' attitudes toward disadvantaged groups are surprisingly understudied. What we know from these few studies is that adolescents' attitudes tend to become more favorable over time and that adolescent girls display more favorable attitudes than do adolescent boys. However, researchers have not offered explanations for why these effects occur. We proposed that changes in social-cognitive abilities that accompany adolescent development increase perspective taking and that the increased perspective taking facilitates more favorable attitudes toward disadvantaged groups. Because girls develop social-cognitive abilities earlier than boys, girls should show greater perspective taking and thus more positive attitudes toward disadvantaged groups than should boys. Importantly, we propose that these more positive attitudes are explained better by perspective taking than by gender. Participants were late adolescents (n = 803, 53.3 % female, ages 15-19) from high schools in north-central Florida (United States) participating in an ongoing, multi-wave study. Participants completed a measure of perspective-taking and reported their attitudes toward three disadvantaged groups (Black, gay, and poor people) during their third year of high school and, again, 6 months later during their fourth year of high school. Our findings provided strong support for our theorizing. Girls generally reported warmer attitudes than did boys toward disadvantaged groups, with the gender differences in warmth tending to diminish across time. Similarly, girls were higher than boys in perspective-taking abilities at both time points, although boys increased over time whereas girls did not. Crucially, perspective taking mediated observed gender differences in attitudes, suggesting that perspective taking is a mechanism for improving attitudes toward disadvantaged groups during late adolescence.

The Role of Perceived Inter-Ethnic Classroom Climate in Adolescents’ Engagement in Ethnic Victimization: For Whom Does it Work?

“…One explanation for the gender difference may be related to the differences in emotional and cognitive skills between males and females. Specifically, the literature consistently shows that females are better at perspective-taking (e.g., Tucker Smith et al 2016) and have greater empathic concerns (e.g., Butrus and Witenberg 2013). These advanced emotional and cognitive skills may help females become better aware of the possible consequences of victimization for its targets than males, and, in turn, dissuade them from engaging in ethnic victimization (Topcu and Erdur-Baker 2012).…”

Relational Aggression in Adolescents with Conduct Disorder: Sex Differences and Behavioral Correlates

“…This sex-specific correlation may be due to a differential course of pro-and antisocial behavior in females compared to males (Van der Graaff, Carlo, Crocetti, Koot, & Branje, 2018). This was supported by longitudinal, population-based studies that have found an earlier development of social cognitive functioning and perspective taking abilities in females compared to males (Smith, Shepperd, Miller, & Graber, 2016;Van der Graaff et al, 2014). The negligible effect of cognitive empathy on relational aggression in males may be explained in light of a gender consistent stereotype notion of relationships and prosocial behavior.…”

Gendered views on parole: exploring how emotion and emotion management help to explain gender differences in the Australian public’s views on parole

“…Despite this, research on gender differences in empathy tend to confirm normative views, with several studies showing that women (or girls) generally report being more empathic than men (or boys) (Gault & Sabini, 2000;Macaskill et al, 2002;Smith et al, 2016;Toussaint & Webb, 2005). Smith et al (2016) reported, for example, that girls generally experienced warmer attitudes than boys toward disadvantaged groups. They were also found to have stronger perspective taking abilities, although this ability increased in boys with age (Smith et al, 2016).…”

“…While Unnever and Cullen (2009) acknowledge that factors like a person's gender may influence individual differences in punitiveness, as well as the extent to which a person is able to empathetically identify with an offender, considerations of gender are left "unexplained" by their theory (p. 297). This omission is somewhat surprising, given research showing women are more likely than men to experience feelings of empathy for others (Gault & Sabini, 2000;Macaskill, Maltby, & Day, 2002;Smith, Shepperd, Miller, & Graber, 2016). The interplay between gender, feelings of empathy and punitiveness toward offenders seems, therefore, an important area for further research.…”

“…Smith et al (2016) reported, for example, that girls generally experienced warmer attitudes than boys toward disadvantaged groups. They were also found to have stronger perspective taking abilities, although this ability increased in boys with age (Smith et al, 2016). Other research has also reported that women are more empathic than men, however in that study empathy was related to forgiveness for men but not women (Toussaint & Webb, 2005).…”