Perceived Leadership Rankings of Males and Females in Small Task Groups.

Summary This study examined the stability of perceived group leadership rankings of 10 males and 14 females in small, cognitively focused same- and mixed-sex task groups. The population was white American, middle socioeconomic in background, and between the ages of 24 and 58 enrolled in a graduate counseling psychology program at a state university. It was hypothesized that males would receive higher leadership ranking scores overall, while females scoring high in same-sex groups would change to lower rankings in mixed-sex groups. Further, a correlation was hypothesized between high alpha scores and eye and verbal communication addressed to the group. Male rankings were higher than female in all experimental conditions, while female alphas ranked higher than male alphas in same-sex groups. Ratings of lower alpha females increased in mixed-sex groups. Females showed eye and verbal patterns of talking to the group while maintaining short, mutual glances. Results discussed pointed to linear male leadership p...