Are Gender Differences in Responses to Supportive Communication a Matter of Ability, Motivation, or Both? Reading Patterns of Situation Effects Through the Lens of a Dual-Process Theory

Abstract

Women process information about support situations and messages more extensively than men, but little is known about whether these gender differences reflect underlying differences in processing ability, motivation, or both. Two studies examined information processing by men and women in both relatively less serious and more serious situations. Participants in Study 1 responded to more and less serious experimental scenarios, whereas participants in Study 2 reported on a recent bereavement situation. In both studies, the pattern of observed gender differences was most consistent with women possessing both greater ability and greater motivation to process information about support situations and messages.

Keywords:

• Comforting
• Emotional Support
• Grief
• Sex Differences
• Social Support

Data collection for the two studies reported herein was supported by a Dean's Research Incentive Grant from the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University to Brant R. Burleson. We acknowledge Jerilyn R. Mincy for assistance with data collection. A version of this article was presented at the annual meeting of the Central States Communication Association, April 2010, Cincinnati, OH.

Notes

Note. Evaluations of messages were made on 5-point scales ranging from 1 (unhelpful) to and 5 (helpful). LPC = low person-centered; MPC = moderately person–centered; HPC = highly person-centered.

Note. Evaluations of messages were made on 5-point scales ranging from 1 (very harmful) to and 5 (very helpful). LPC = low person-centered; MPC = moderately person–centered; HPC = highly person-centered.

Note. N = 103.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

The Role Category Questionnaire measure of cognitive complexity employed by Burleson et al. (2009) assesses cognitive complexity by scoring the number of “interpersonal constructs” appearing in written interpersonal impressions; perhaps motivated individuals write longer impressions. The Personal Attributes Questionnaire measure of expressive orientation employed by Burleson et al. (2009) has been found to be associated with assessments of social–cognitive ability (e.g., empathy), suggesting that it may also tap some aspect of cognitive ability.

An additional 111 participants responded to versions of two other stimulus situations (involving a roommate conflict and the loss of scholarship funds); however, data from these situations were excluded from further analyses following a preliminary assessment that showed the mildly severe versions of these situations were rated above the midpoint on the perceived seriousness scale.

Detailed descriptions of the full set of messages and the eight experimental scenarios to which they pertain are available from Brant R. Burleson upon request.

Details regarding these additional questionnaires are available from Brant R. Burleson upon request.

Details of these analyses are available upon request from Brant R. Burleson.

Reports of these analyses, which examined the situation factor as both a fixed effect and a random effect, are available upon request from Brant R. Burleson.

Details regarding the additional questionnaires are available from Brant R. Burleson upon request.

Details of these analyses are available upon request from Brant R. Burleson.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brant R. Burleson

Brant R. Burleson (Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1982) is a professor in the Department of Communication at Purdue University, where Jennifer Gill Rosier, Lisa K. Hanasono, and Jessica J. Rack are graduate students.

Lisa K. Hanasono

Lisa K. Hanasono (M.A., Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, 2007) is an assistant professor at Bowling Green State University.

Graham D. Bodie

Graham D. Bodie (Ph.D., Purdue University, 2008) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Louisiana State University.

Amanda J. Holmstrom

Amanda J. Holmstrom (Ph.D., Purdue University, 2008) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University.

Jennifer D. McCullough

Jennifer D. McCullough (Ph.D., Purdue University, 2010) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Saginaw Valley State University.