Perceptions of assertive behavior: Sex combination, role appropriateness, and message type

Abstract

Eighty-four male and 84 female subjects, divided into high, moderate, and low groups on the basis of sex-role stereotyping, watched videotapes of two-person interactions where positive and negative assertive messages were sent by male and female actors to male and female receivers. Subjects rated the level of assertion and the social acceptability of each message. Results indicated that while all messages were rated as relatively assertive, negative messages were perceived as more assertive and less socially acceptable than positive ones. Subjects also rated male senders as more assertive than female senders when the message type was role inappropriate for the subjects but rated female senders as relatively more assertive when the message type was role appropriate for them. Messages from female senders were rated as more socially acceptable than messages from male senders. Finally, messages to male receivers were rated as more acceptable than messages to females, especially by male subjects when the sender was male. Thus, both sex-role stereotypes and situational expectations appear to influence perceptions of level of assertion, and more assertive messages are perceived as less socially appropriate.