Group Gender Composition Research Articles

Does the gender composition of forest and fishery management groups affect resource governance and conservation outcomes: a systematic map protocol

Abstract Background In the fields of environmental governance and biodiversity conservation, there is a growing awareness that gender has an influence on resource use and management. Several studies argue that empowering women in resource governance can lead to beneficial outcomes for resource sustainability and biodiversity conservation. Yet how robust is the evidence to support this claim? Here we focus on the forestry and fisheries sectors to answer the primary question: What is the evidence that the gender composition of forest and fishery management groups affects resource governance and conservation outcomes? Our objective is to produce a systematic map of the evidence highlighting, inter alia, the geographic distribution and quality of the evidence, the consistency and robustness of the findings, and where further research is needed. Methods/design This protocol provides the details of the methodology. The search terms used to identify relevant articles were developed in an iterative process using the phraseology of the primary question, Boolean operators, and a list of synonyms for each term. The search terms will be used to identify relevant articles in CAB Abstracts, Scopus, AGRIS, AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, and Google. A test library of 12 articles will ensure that the search captures the relevant literature. Searches will be in English but will not be restricted by publication date. The websites of 22 international organisations with a known interest in gender-related issues will be screened for relevant documents. The gender-focussed researchers at large conservation NGOs, the members of the Poverty and Conservation Learning Group, and the members of the Gender and Environment Working Group will be invited to submit relevant documents. The list of references of included articles will be screened to identify other relevant articles in a ‘backwards snowballing’ approach. The inclusion criteria are that an article refers to women or gender, forests or fisheries, a resource management group, a quantitative comparison, and an environmental governance or biodiversity conservation outcome in a non-OECD country. A data extraction template with 27 variables will be used to assess the included articles. The output will be a narrative report with descriptive statistics and an evidence-gap map.

The Sexy Issue: Visual Expressions of Heteronormativity and Gender Identities in Cosmopolitan Magazine

The current study used a qualitative image analysis to explore observed interactional behaviors communicated through images printed in Cosmopolitan magazine during the calendar year of 2009 as a means to infer social values . Two general inquiries were used to guide the manner with which behavior was observed: is a heteronormative bias present and what values regarding the expressions of sexual orientation and gender identities can be inferred from these images. The sample consisted of 722 individual images depicting groups of two or more persons. Images were coded for group gender composition, activities engaged in, and physical touch . Results indicated a strong bias favoring heterosexual romantic/sexual intimacy and disfavoring homosexual romantic/sexual intimacy. The differences found between groups of womyn and groups of men suggest the expression of traditional hegemonic gender stereotypes in these image selections. Together, these findings suggest that traditional gender identities and heteronormative ideas were the dominant values communicated in these media image selections.

A quantitative meta-analysis of neurocognitive functioning in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with regional alterations in brain structure and function that are hypothesized to contribute to symptoms and cognitive deficits associated with the disorder. We present here the first systematic meta-analysis of neurocognitive outcomes associated with PTSD to examine a broad range of cognitive domains and describe the profile of cognitive deficits, as well as modifying clinical factors and study characteristics. This report is based on data from 60 studies totaling 4,108 participants, including 1,779 with PTSD, 1,446 trauma-exposed comparison participants, and 895 healthy comparison participants without trauma exposure. Effect-size estimates were calculated using a mixed-effects meta-analysis for 9 cognitive domains: attention/working memory, executive functions, verbal learning, verbal memory, visual learning, visual memory, language, speed of information processing, and visuospatial abilities. Analyses revealed significant neurocognitive effects associated with PTSD, although these ranged widely in magnitude, with the largest effect sizes in verbal learning (d = -.62), speed of information processing (d = -.59), attention/working memory (d = -.50), and verbal memory (d =-.46). Effect-size estimates were significantly larger in treatment-seeking than community samples and in studies that did not exclude participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and effect sizes were affected by between-group IQ discrepancies and the gender composition of the PTSD groups. Our findings indicate that consideration of neuropsychological functioning in attention, verbal memory, and speed of information processing may have important implications for the effective clinical management of persons with PTSD. Results are further discussed in the context of cognitive models of PTSD and the limitations of this literature.

Methods to Estimate the Structure and Size of the “Neet” Youth

Abstract In 2013, in EU-27, were employed only 46.1% of the young people aged 15-29 years, this being the lowest figure ever recorded by Eurostat statistics. In Romania, in the same year, were employed only 40.8% of the young people aged 15-29 years. According to Eurostat, in 2013, in Europe, over 8 million young people aged 15-29 were excluded from the labour market and the education system. This boosted the rate of NEET population, aged 15-29, from the 13% level recorded in 2008 to 15.9% in 2013, with significant variations between the Member States: less than 7.5% in the Netherlands, more than 20% in Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Greece and Spain. In Romania, under the impact of the financial crisis, the rate of NEET population increased from 13.2% in 2008 to 19.1% in 2011 and 19.6% in 2013. This paper presents a brief analysis of the labour market in the European Union and the particularities of the youth labour market in Romania. It analyses, for the pre-crisis period and under its impact, the structure, the education and the gender composition of NEET groups. Some stochastic methods are used to estimate the structure and size of the NEET rates and of the youth unemployment rate in Romania.

Group Gender Composition and Tolerance of Immigrants’ Rights

Research has shown that women on average express more positive attitudes towards out-groups than men. We hypothesize that, because of differences in the social climate that this gender gap produces, people who spend more time in female-dominated groups are likely to develop more positive attitudes towards out-groups than people who spend more time in groups that are dominated by men. We corroborate our argument with evidence from two unique Swedish data sets. On the basis of the first data set, we show that students who attend female-dominated school classes are more tolerant of immigrants’ rights than students attending male-dominated school classes. On the basis of the second data set, we show that adults who work at female-dominated workplaces are more tolerant of immigrants’ rights than adults who work at male-dominated workplaces. Overall, our findings demonstrate that group gender composition is important for understanding the formation of attitudes towards out-groups.

Does gender matter? Examining gender composition's relationships with meal duration and spending in restaurants

Although most hospitality studies have focused on the controllable variables that influence customer behaviors, this study examined uncontrollable factors including gender composition. This paper focuses on (1) investigating the effect of group gender composition (mostly male, gender-balanced, mostly female) on the following revenue management performance measures (RMPMs): meal duration, spending, and spending per minute (SPM); and (2) examining the effects of customer-based cues (party size, the presence of drinks, and dining day and hour) on RMPMs as affected by gender composition. A total of 1114 restaurant customers were observed over two consecutive weeks. A gender composition effect was found, indicating that heterogeneous (gender-balanced) groups stayed for shorter times, spent more, and were more profitable than homogeneous groups (mostly male or mostly female). The three customer-based cues showed significant effects on RMPMs in relation to gender composition, which will enable managers to develop effective marketing and waiting time management and will enhance revenue.

Youth Labor Market Vulnerabilities: Characteristics, Dimensions and Costs

In the European Union, young people are, according to Eurostat statistics, one-fifth of the total population. Even if modern Europe offers unprecedented opportunities for young people, they face challenges (aggravated by the economic crisis) related to the education and training systems and to labor market access. Youth unemployment is very high, 22.1% in 2012, while the rate of NEET young people reached 13.1% in the same year. Recently, youth labor markets in Europe recorded an increased number of fixed-term employment or temporary contracts and the tendency to change jobs several times during active life. These phenomena weaken the relationship between employers and employees. The concept of employment vulnerability can be used to describe these relationships. This paper presents a brief characterization of the European Union labor market and an analysis of the features of youth labor market in Romania. It analyzes the structure, education and gender composition of NEET groups before the crisis and its impact, and it estimates, for the NEET population, the economic costs of non-integration in the labor market or in the education system supported by various European countries.

Does Descriptive Representation Facilitate Women's Distinctive Voice? How Gender Composition and Decision Rules Affect Deliberation

Does low descriptive representation inhibit substantive representation for women in deliberating groups? We address this question and go beyond to ask if the effects of descriptive representation also depend on decision rule. We conducted an experiment on distributive decisions, randomizing the group's gender composition and decision rule, including many groups, and linking individuals’ predeliberation attitudes to their speech and to postdeliberation decisions. Women's descriptive representation does produce substantive representation, but primarily under majority rule—when women are many, they are more likely to voice women's distinctive concerns about children, family, the poor, and the needy, and less likely to voice men's distinctive concerns. Men's references shift similarly with women's numerical status. These effects are associated with group decisions that are more generous to the poor. Unanimous rule protects women in the numerical minority, mitigating some of the negative effects of low descriptive representation. Descriptive representation matters, but in interaction with the decision rule.

The Role of Gender and Friends’ Gender on Peer Socialization of Adolescent Drinking: A Prospective Multilevel Social Network Analysis

Although socializing effects of friends' drinking on adolescent drinking behavior have been firmly established in previous literature, study results on the importance of gender, as well as the specific role that gender may play in peer socialization, are very mixed. Given the increasing importance of gender in friendships (particularly opposite-sex friendships) during adolescence, it is necessary to better understand the nuanced roles that gender can play in peer socialization effects on alcohol use. In addition, previous studies focusing on the interplay between individual gender and friends' gender have been largely dyadic; less is known about potential gendered effects of broader social networks. The current study sought to further investigate potential effects of gender on friends' influence on adolescent drinking behavior with particular emphasis on the number of same-sex and opposite-sex friends within one's friendship network, as well as closeness to these friends. Using Waves I and II of the saturated sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), adolescent friendship networks were used to calculate the mean drinking behaviors of adolescent friends. Multi-level models estimated the effects of individual drinking behaviors, friend drinking behaviors, and school-level drinking behaviors on adolescent drinking 1year later, as well as moderating effects of gender composition of friendship groups and male and female friend closeness on the relationship between friends' drinking behaviors and adolescent drinking behavior. Results documented that gender composition of friendship groups did not influence the effect of friends' drinking on individual drinking 1year later. However, closeness to friends did influence this relationship. As closeness to male friends decreased, the influence of their drinking behavior increased, for both boys and girls. A similar effect was found for female friends, but only for boys. Female friend closeness did not affect the relationship between peer alcohol socialization and girls' alcohol use. The findings indicate that the role of gender on alcohol socialization may be more complex than previously thought, particularly when examining the potential role that alcohol use may play as a mechanism for social bonding within opposite-sex friendships and same-sex male friendships.

Mixing It Up: Integrating Men and Women Living With HIV/AIDS in Prevention Groups

The current study was conducted to examine the impact of mixing genders in intervention groups targeted toward HIV-positive men and women. The gender composition of groups in a randomized clinical control trial was examined in relation to participant group attendance and group satisfaction measures. The regression model for men in the risk reduction condition was significant; however, the model was not significant for women in the same condition. The findings indicate that mixing genders in this intervention had no negative impact on women's group satisfaction and may have positively impacted men's group satisfaction. In practice, mixed-gender intervention groups can be a helpful option for delivering programs to diverse populations, especially when resources are limited within community-based organizations. Although more thorough investigation is needed, this study supports the idea that mixing genders may be a viable option in practice.

Gender composition of preadolescents' friendship groups moderates peer socialization of body change behaviors.

Peer socialization may be an important contributor to the rising prevalence of diet and muscle gain behaviors (i.e., body change behaviors) in adolescence. The present study longitudinally examined body change behaviors in preadolescents' friendship groups as predictors of preadolescents' own body change behaviors. It was predicted that peer socialization effects would vary according to the gender composition of preadolescents' friendship group. Participants (N = 648, 48.8% female) were in grades 6 through 8 at Time 1 and reported their dieting and muscle-gaining behavior at three time points approximately 1 year apart. Friendship groups were identified from preadolescents' friendship nominations. Body mass index and pubertal timing were included in analyses as control variables. A multiple group latent growth curve model was used to examine hypotheses. Socialization of body change behaviors in preadolescent friendship groups was observed only under certain conditions. For members of all-male friendship groups, preadolescents' dieting trajectories were predicted from friends' average level of dieting. Peer socialization effects are associated with trajectories of preadolescents' body change behaviors, particularly among all-male groups. Future research would benefit from incorporating the friendship group context into the study of health risk behaviors in preadolescents.

Gender Inequality in Deliberative Participation

Can men and women have equal levels of voice and authority in deliberation or does deliberation exacerbate gender inequality? Does increasing women's descriptive representation in deliberation increase their voice and authority? We answer these questions and move beyond the debate by hypothesizing that the group's gender composition interacts with its decision rule to exacerbate or erase the inequalities. We test this hypothesis and various alternatives, using experimental data with many groups and links between individuals’ attitudes and speech. We find a substantial gender gap in voice and authority, but as hypothesized, it disappears under unanimous rule and few women, or under majority rule and many women. Deliberative design can avoid inequality by fitting institutional procedure to the social context of the situation.

Women in Police Blue: An Organizational Demography of the Gender Composition of Urban Police Patrol Work Groups

This article reaches back to 1990, a time when women were still relatively new to policing and few were engaged in police work. Our goal is to assess the arguments of organizational demographers about the effects of work group gender composition on the performance of women police officers. The results indicate that organizational demographers got things right: Women in police blue are significantly more productive in gender-balanced work groups.

Building blocks of bias: Gender composition predicts male and female group members’ evaluations of each other and the group

The present research examined how a group's gender composition influences intragroup evaluations. Group members evaluated fellow group members and the group as a whole following a shared task. As predicted, no performance differences were found as a function of gender composition, but judgments of individuals’ task contributions, the group's effectiveness, and desire to work with one's group again measured at a 10-week follow-up were increasingly negative as the proportion of women in the group increased. Negative judgments were consistently directed at male and female group members as indicated by no gender of target effects, demonstrating that men, simply by working alongside women, can be detrimentally affected by negative stereotypes about women. Implications for gender diversity in the workplace are discussed.

Peer group deviancy in organized activities and youths' problem behaviours.

The goal of this study was to examine whether youths’ perceptions of the level of deviancy in their organized activity peer group predicted an increase in their antisocial behaviours and substance use. Their prior behaviour and the level of codeviance with their friends were controlled. Moderators of this association were also examined, including characteristics of youths (i.e., gender) and activity contexts (i.e., type, degree of supervision, age and gender composition of the peer group). Participating youths (N 185; Mage 14.34, 60% girls) were surveyed in Grades 8 and 9 using phone interviews and questionnaires. Results revealed that peer group deviancy predicted increases in youths’ problem behaviours after controlling for covariates. In addition, this association was moderated by the age composition of the activity peer group for antisocial behaviours and by activity type for substance use. Overall, these findings draw attention to the possibility of negative peer group dynamics in organized activities.

Dating Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention With African American Middle Schoolers: Does Group Gender Composition Impact Dating Violence Attitudes?

A dating violence and sexual assault prevention program was presented to 396, predominately African American, middle schoolers in two inner city schools in the United States. In one school the program was offered with a same-gender group composition; in the other school, the same program was offered with mixed-gender group composition. A quasi-experimental design was used to assess how gender composition in programming influenced youths’ attitudes about dating violence. Study findings suggest that boys benefit most from participation in a same-gender program and girls benefit most from a mixed-gender program. Implications for prevention programming are discussed.

Impact of Group Settings and Gender on Meals Purchased by College Students

This study examines the impact of social context and perception of weight on calories purchased by college students in a natural setting. Not only did women in mixed-gender groups purchase fewer calories than did women in same-gender groups, but significant interaction effects exist among the gender composition of groups, perception of being overweight, and gender of respondents. Men modified calories purchased across mixed-gender and same-gender groups, purchasing more when in mixed-gender groups. The study helps address theoretical and methodological gaps in prior research and frames the findings in terms of variation of gender salience across social relational contexts.

Is gender an important factor influencing user groups' property rights and forestry governance? Empirical analysis from East Africa and Latin America

This article explores the effects that gender composition of forest user groups has on property rights and forestry governance, based on data from 290 forest user groups in Kenya, Uganda, Bolivia, and Mexico. Findings indicate gender composition of user groups is important, but not always in the expected ways. Female-dominated groups tend to have more property rights to trees and bushes, and collect more fuelwood but less timber than do male-dominated or gender-balanced groups. Gender-balanced groups participate more in forestry decision-making and are more likely to have exclusive use of forests. Female-dominated groups participate less, sanction less and exclude less. Although policy makers and practitioners are advised to seek interventions that strengthen women's groups by delivering information, technologies and capacity-building programs in formats that take into account women's constraints, it is also important to gain better understanding of the dynamics of mixed-gender groups, including the nature and types of cooperation among males and females.

Performance and Sustainability of Self-Help Groups in India: A Gender Perspective

The existing literature on self-help group (SHG) bank linkage programs portrays them as an effective tool being used in various countries to approach a range of socioeconomic issues. This paper explores the performance and sustainability of this type of program in India at the group level. Because income-generating activities and other characteristics vary with the gender composition of self-help groups, their performance and sustainability vary. The analysis in this study is based on data from a survey carried out in six states in India. Overall, the performance analysis reveals that all-female SHGs perform best. The female SHGs are doing particularly well in terms of recovery of loans and per capita saving. The econometrics results indicate that only all-female SHGs are sustainable. The factors that determine the sustainability include recovery of loans, per capita savings, and linkage with an SHG federation.

Gender and generosity: does degree of anonymity or group gender composition matter?

Employing a two-by-two factorial design that manipulates whether dictator groups are single or mixed-sex and whether procedures are single or double-blind, we examine gender effects in a standard dictator game. No gender effects were found in any of the experimental treatments for the mean or median levels of giving, or for the propensity to give nothing. However, females chose to give away half of their endowments with greater frequency than males in the pooled single-sex treatments.