Inferior performance, standards, and influence in same-sex dyads.

Abstract

Male and female subjects in same-sex dyads performed a perceptual task. Each subject received a lower score than the partner and was assigned at random to one of two levels of standards (i.e., minimum requirements for the inference of either ability or lack of ability). Depending on these standards, the scores either definitely indicated both ability in the partner and lack of ability in self, or could not be conclusively interpreted. Subjects in the former condition were expected to accept more influence from the partner than those in the latter. The prediction was supported for women but not for men. Self-reports on motivation, seriousness regarding performance, task importance, and control over performance ruled out these variables as factors, but manipulation checks traced the observed influence rates to sex differences in levels of perceived ability relative to the partner. The results are interpreted in terms of status of subject relative to source of expectations. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are examined, and a refinement is proposed to the expectation states theory assumption of no differences in conformity levels across same-sex dyads performing a sex-neutral task.

Status Characteristics Among Older Individuals: The Diminished Significance of Gender

“…It is also consistent with Foschi, Enns, and Lapointe's (2001) study, which found that men were not more likely to reject influence than women in young same‐sex dyads. Average rejection of influence rates were the same across all dyads both male and female, although one previous study had shown lower rejection of influence rates for the female dyads (Foschi and Freeman 1991). There have been no previous studies of gender as a status characteristic among men and women over 50 years of age.…”

“…After they completed the task, participants filled out a questionnaire concerning the task. Both task and questionnaire were slightly adjusted versions of an experimental task and questionnaire that have been pretested extensively and used in previous studies (Camilleri and Berger 1967; Martin and Sell 1980; Foschi and Freeman 1991; Troyer and Younts 1997; Foschi, Enns, and Lapointe 2001).…”

Double Standards in the Evaluation of Men and Women

“…Foschi (1989) proposes both an elaboration and an extension of the above formulation. The proposal incorporates ideas from (1) attribution work examining how the perceived causes of success and failure are affected by the performer's membership in a social category (Deschamps 1983;Hansen and O'Leary 1985;Whitley, McHugh, and Frieze 1986) and (2) expectation states research on the effects of standards on the interpretation of performance outcomes (Foschi and Freeman 1991;Foschi, Warriner, and Hart 1985). At the core of this theory is the notion that differences in inferred ability persist in spite of equal performances because different standards for competence are applied to higher-and to lower-status members.…”

Perceptions of small animal practitioners and pet owners on professional competencies in veterinary practice: an essential component for curricula design

“…20,21 Nevertheless, it has been reported that female veterinary students have higher expectations of themselves and feel they need to outperform by holding to stricter standards than men. 8,22,23 For example, Kogan et al 8 reported that female veterinary students scored significantly higher than men in those characteristics that defined a successful veterinary student. One of the problems that might result from these unrealistic high standards is that women put excessive pressure on themselves, which can result in anxiety or depressive disorders.…”