Reactions to research on sex differences: Effect of sex favoured, researcher sex, and importance of sex-difference domain

Two studies (total N = 778) looked at (1) how people react to research finding a sex difference depending on whether the research puts men or women in a better light and (2) how well people can predict the average man and average woman's reactions. Participants read a fictional popular-science article about fictional research finding either a male- or a female-favouring sex difference. The research was credited to either a male or a female lead researcher. In both studies, both sexes reacted less positively to differences favouring males; in contrast to our earlier research, however, the effect was larger among female participants. Contrary to a widespread expectation, participants did not react less positively to research led by a female. Participants did react less positively, though, to research led by a male when the research reported a male-favouring difference in a highly valued trait. Participants judged male-favouring research to be lower in quality than female-favouring research, apparently in large part because they saw the former as more harmful. In both studies, participants predicted that the average man and woman would exhibit substantial own-sex favouritism, with both sexes predicting more own-sex favouritism from the other sex than the other sex predicted from itself. In making these predictions, participants overestimated women's own-sex favouritism, and got the direction of the effect wrong for men. A greater understanding of the tendency to overestimate gender-ingroup bias could help quell antagonisms between the sexes.

Language Appropriation Practices of Gay Men after the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

In the United States, legal marriage has found itself simultaneously serving as a pact made by two individuals, an agreement under the state's control, and a legal status with social implications. The influences of legal marriage on social levels are not monolithic, as a result, there is not a comprehensive definition of marriage that supports the diverse relationships that exist, including same-sex marriage. Moreover, explicit attention to verbal communication in reference to these relationships has rarely been documented. Utilizing a qualitative framework and semi-structured interviews, this study investigated the relationship between marriage equality and its impact on language appropriation for 28 gay men living in various parts of the United States. Results of analysis situated in grounded theory via the constant comparative method indicated that for many in this sample, access to legal marriage facilitated unapologetic use of language associated with marriage, irrespective of one's own marital status. These findings are in stark contrast to studies exploring adoption of marriage language by lesbian women. Implications across private and public arenas are discussed.

Crossing the Empathy Chasm: Unpacking a Knapsack Full of Unearned Advantage

As demand for diversity, equity and inclusion workshops has risen sharply this past year, I'm not the first to observe that the burden for finding solutions, ironically, gets inordinately placed at the feet of people of color. Ironic, of course, because changing the hearts and minds of Whites is a challenge that needs to be met by Whites. McIntosh's White privilege scale has inspired a growing number of other scales that help us examine our unconscious bias, privilege and advantages from our lived experiences. Deepening empathy for people of color is a prerequisite to being of any use whatsoever in a profession committed to health equity. An obvious way to cross the empathy chasm is to be sure those who are accountable for finding solutions have a deep affinity with those who are most directly affected by the problems. In my continued work to cross the empathy chasm, the space I take needs to be as someone intent on listening to, learning from and supporting those with empathy to spare.

Reactions to male-favouring versus female-favouring sex differences: A pre-registered experiment and Southeast Asian replication

Two studies investigated (1) how people react to research describing a sex difference, depending on whether that difference favours males or females, and (2) how accurately people can predict how the average man and woman will react. In Study 1, Western participants (N = 492) viewed a fictional popular-science article describing either a male-favouring or a female-favouring sex difference (i.e., men/women draw better; women/men lie more). Both sexes reacted less positively to the male-favouring differences, judging the findings to be less important, less credible, and more offensive, harmful, and upsetting. Participants predicted that the average man and woman would react more positively to sex differences favouring their own sex. This was true of the average woman, although the level of own-sex favouritism was lower than participants predicted. It was not true, however, of the average man, who - like the average woman - reacted more positively to the female-favouring differences. Study 2 replicated these findings in a Southeast Asian sample (N = 336). Our results are consistent with the idea that both sexes are more protective of women than men, but that both exaggerate the level of same-sex favouritism within each sex - a misconception that could potentially harm relations between the sexes.

"I'm Sure as Hell Not Putting Any Man on a Pedestal": Male Privilege and Accountability in Domestic and Sexual Violence Work

Efforts to involve men as allies in domestic and sexual violence work are expanding, marking a shift for these historically women-led movements. Although this shift is beneficial, it also generates new challenges. From a multi-method qualitative study, this article presents descriptive findings about the internal tensions accompanying the "men as allies" development, namely the gender inequality and male privilege reproduced within movement organizations. I draw on sociological theorizing about men in female-dominated professions to explain the reproduction of gender inequality within movement spaces. I also examine how people are dealing with these tensions by developing a discourse around "men's accountability." My findings suggest that, although discourse about accountability has been successfully integrated into the culture of domestic and sexual violence work, there are key challenges that hinder effective accountability practices. I end by offering suggestions for implementing accountability practices at the organizational level. This study contributes important empirical and theoretical insights currently missing from the literature on male allies, which can be used to inform men's growing involvement in anti-violence work.