Managing Sexual Harassment Through Enacted Stereotypes: An Intergroup Perspective

Abstract

This qualitative study applies an intergroup communication approach to examining the lived experiences of nurses who were sexually harassed by their patients. Twenty-eight interview transcripts were thematically analyzed; results illustrated how a combination of self-categorization and stereotyping functioned both constructively and destructively in harassment situations. Nurses consistently explained their communication behaviors and those of their patients in light of respective social identities. The intergroup lens proves to be a useful tool for examining the occurrence and perpetuation of sexual harassment in health care organizations. Theoretical implications and practical applications for scholars researching organizational communication, health communication, and intergroup communication, are discussed.