Schematic Responses to Sexual Harassment Complainants: The Influence of Gender and Physical Attractiveness

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the characteristics of a sexual harassment schema and its consequences using expectancy-violation theory as a framework for investigating an ostensible organizational grievance. Reactions to sexual harassment complainants were expected to be less favorable when the complainant was male than when the complainant was female. Results for the complainants of sexual harassment confirmed that men were believed less, liked less, and punished more than women. Furthermore, the tendency to believe and like female complainants more than male complainants was stronger when complainants were physically attractive. This study contributes to a growing body of research on gender schemas in the context of sexual harassment.

Workplace Sexual Harassment 30 Years on: A Review of the Literature

“…Further, the tendency to believe and like female complainants is stronger when they are perceived as physically attractive (Golden et al . 2001; Madera et al . 2007).…”

“…With respect to the gender of the complainant, Jones and Remland (1992) found that individuals were less tolerant of SH when the target was female rather than male. Using a framework which proposed that cognitive schema-driven expectancies lead to negative evaluations of individuals who do not conform to expected gender roles, Madera et al (2007) also found that men who complained of SH were believed less, liked less and punished more than women who complained. Further, the tendency to believe and like female complainants is stronger when they are perceived as physically attractive (Golden et al 2001;Madera et al 2007).…”

“…Using a framework which proposed that cognitive schema-driven expectancies lead to negative evaluations of individuals who do not conform to expected gender roles, Madera et al (2007) also found that men who complained of SH were believed less, liked less and punished more than women who complained. Further, the tendency to believe and like female complainants is stronger when they are perceived as physically attractive (Golden et al 2001;Madera et al 2007). Married men and unattractive men (who are viewed as less 'available') are seen as more harassing, presumably because perceptions of harassment are premised in part on commonplace stereotypes about romance (Pryor 1995).…”

Aesthetic Capital: A Research Review on Beauty Perks and Penalties

“…they are more likely to be considered authentic or believable (e.g. Madera et al. 2007; Wuensch and Moore 2004).…”

Reactions to Physical Contact Among Coaches and Players: The Influence of Coach Sex, Player Sex, and Attitudes Toward Women

“…These expectations therefore influence the meanings and interpretations of occurrences in one's life (Walsh 1995). For instance, people's schemas concerning gender and physical attractiveness impact how they interpret and react to sexual harassment claims (Madera et al 2007). Within the current context, people's schemas are likely to influence their reactions to coach-player contact, including the acceptability of the actions and their preferred consequences thereof.…”