Readers’ Perceptions of Author Gender and Literary Genre

Abstract

Objective analyses of the language used in published literature have revealed effects of both author gender and literary genre. It is unclear, however, whether readers are sensitive to these differences. Participants’ ratings of author gender and literary genre were evaluated against actual gender and genre and statistically predicted gender and genre. Statistical predictions of gender and genre were based solely upon the authors’ use of a selection of gender-preferential language features. Overall, participants were far more adept at judging author gender than genre. They were also more accurate in judging male than female authorship. Judgments of author gender were more closely aligned with actual than statistically predicted gender. This suggests that authors display their gender in ways that extend beyond the specific language features they employ. In showing this, the study helps explain why gender is often difficult for authors to hide and for readers to ignore.