Power, gender and identification with sexual harassment victims

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of power on identification with sexual harassment victims across genders and explores interventions to enhance identification. Limiting to incidents involving a man harassing a woman, this study hypothesized that women in higher (vs lower) power would show greater identification; however, men’s identification would not be affected by power. These distinct effects stem from gender differences in the manifestation of power, linked to variations in self-construal–independent versus interdependent self-views in men and women, respectively. Thus, priming of independent or interdependent self-construal in men and women can attenuate gender differences. Design/methodology/approach In Experiment 1, 147 participants were assigned to higher-/lower-power conditions. They read a scenario describing sexual harassment and indicated their identification with the victim. Experiment 2 (n = 208) was similar, with the addition of independent/interdependent self-construal priming. Findings In Experiment 1, women in higher- (vs lower-) power condition demonstrated greater identification; men in higher- and lower-power conditions did not differ in identification. Higher-power men (vs women) exhibited lower identification. In Experiment 2, independent self-construal priming created a similar pattern of gender differences across both power conditions as in Experiment 1, with a reduced effect of power on women’s identification and an increased gap between higher-power men and women. Interdependent self-construal priming enhanced identification among higher-power men and possibly among lower-power women. Originality/value This paper elucidates gender differences in power manifestation, with implications for judgment of sexual harassment, which can inform intervention development for correcting gender biases.