Modeling Subordinate Perceptions of Sexual Harassment: The Role of Superior–Subordinate Social–Sexual Interaction

Abstract

The last 25 years have seen a dramatic increase in empirical studies in the area of sexual harassment. Yet no conceptual model exists that incorporates the complexity of moderators of sexually harassing behavior, attributions made due to this behavior, and how this behavior affects social–sexual interaction, which may lead to variations in the perception of sexual harassment. This article breaks new theoretical ground by proposing an integrative framework, which seeks to examine antecedents of the perception of sexual harassment in organizations from an interactional perspective. The model highlights and examines the intermediate stages of social–sexual interaction that may be critical in understanding the nature and perception of sexual harassment in the workplace.