Gender Composition, Attributional Accounts, and Women's Influence and Likability in Task Groups

Abstract

The effect for women in task groups of gender composition (all female; skewed, solo female; and balanced) and type of attributiontal accounts (internal vs. external) are explored in 36 groups with three naive subjects and one confederate. Results show that gender composition affects women's influence and likability more than attributional accounts do. Additionally, getnder composition conditions the impact of attributional accounts so that (a) a solo woman in an otherwise male group is most influential and well liked when she gives external attributional accounts, (b) a woman in an all-female group is most influential and well liked when she gives internal accounts, and (c) a woman in gender-balanced groups is comparably influential and well liked when she gives internal or external accounts. The discussion addresses implications of the findings for women in paid work contexts, particularly in cultures that emphasize independence and individual achievement.