Gender Differences in Perceptions of Sexual Harassment

Presenter Information

Janica Smith, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU 201

Start Date

25-4-2005 8:30 AM

End Date

25-4-2005 10:00 AM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Keven J. Filter

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

The study examined the problem of gender variability in relation to perceptions of sexual harassment. The participants consisted of students at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Both males and females participated in the study and ages ranged in the late teens and early twenties. The participants volunteered for the study and read a brief scenario describing an incident of sexual harassment. After reading the scenario the participants answered four questions using a six-point likert scale to determine how he/she viewed the severity of the incident. Four scenarios were used in the study and the genders of both the perpetrator and victim were manipulated in each scenario. Results will be discussed in terms of differences between men and women in their tendency to evaluate the severity of sexual harassment. Results will also be discussed in terms of implications for researchers and practitioners.