Gender schemas and perceptions of speech style

Abstract

This study examined Bem's Gender Schema Theory as it relates to communicator style. Participants who had completed the Bem Sex‐Role Inventory (N = 793) were presented with transcribed interpersonal exchanges in which one speaker's communication style was manipulated to appear either powerless or generic. Impressions of the speakers were recorded on a number of interpersonal attribution items. Although results failed to substantiate many of the predicted differences between sex‐typedand non‐sex‐typed persons’ perceptions of speakers’ power, two main effects for powerless speech were found: (1) speakers using powerless language were perceived to be less dominant than generic speakers, and (2) powerless speakers were perceived to be more competent than generic speakers. Implications of these findings for power issues and Gender Schema Theory are discussed.

Notes

Katherine A. Warfel is a doctoral student in the Department of Speech Communication, University of Texas, Austin. The author wishes to thank Drs. Ronald Bassett and Robert Hopper for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper.