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Gender Differences in Ethnocultural Empathy and Attitudes Toward Men and Women in Authority

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Meera Komarraju

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

The relationship between attitudes toward members of ethnic or cultural minority groups and men and women in authority or leadership positions was examined. The Ethnocultural Empathy Scale and Gender Authority Measure were completed by 317 participants. Results yielded a positive relationship among the attitudinal measures, indicating that individuals who express more empathy toward individuals from diverse ethnic or cultural backgrounds are likely to have positive perceptions of women in authority/leadership positions. Furthermore, gender differences in perceptions suggest that, relative to males, females are more likely to report higher levels of ethnic or cultural empathy and also have higher preference for women in leadership and authority positions.

Key Words: authority • empathy • leadership • attitude • ethnicity • gender

Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, Vol. 15, No. 1, 5-15 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1548051808318000


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