Transcript Industrial-Organizational Psychology Learning Module Sexual Harassment Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Learning Module
Sexual
Harassment
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lecture, you should:
 Know the definition of sexual harassment
 Understand the difference between two major
types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo and
hostile work environment
 Understand the difference between
harassment as a legal concern and as a
perception
 Know the major legal milestones regarding
sexual harassment
 Recognize perceptual influences on sexual
harassment
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Sexual Harassment is:
Any sexually-based behavior that is
knowingly unwanted and either:
 has an adverse effect on a person’s
employment status,
 interferes with a person’s job performance,
or
 creates a hostile or intimidating work
environment
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
The Law on Sexual
Harassment




Illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964
1977 - First quid pro quo ruling
1986 - First Supreme Court hostile
environment ruling
1991 - Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill hearings
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
How Frequently Does it Occur?


1989: between 42 and 92% of working
women have been sexually harassed
1988 & 1995 DOD survey
 women
reporting being harassed dropped
from 64% to 55%

1991 & 1998 CNN/Time Poll
 “Is
SH of women a big problem?”
 1991
- 37% said yes
 1998 - 26% said yes
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Personal and Situational Characteristics
Affecting Perceptions of Harassment
Harassment is more likely to be perceived when:

the target is female and the perpetrator is male

the target has less power than the perpetrator

the behavior is repeated

request by the target for behavior to stop

negative consequences follow

the target suffers emotional or stress-related
symptoms

the organization has been “soft” on perpetrators in
the past
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 1

An older female works as a cashier at a
gas station/garage. The mechanics are
male, and most are younger than she is.
While the men never make comments to
her, she has overheard them making
comments about attractive female
customers who bring in their cars for repair.
There are also several calendars in the
shop area showing women in bikinis.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 2

A male professor teaches a literature class
at a local college. His reading list includes
several books that, while considered
classics, involve stories of rape or the
seduction of women. He occasionally uses
graphic metaphors in his classes, such as
comparing creative writing to having sex.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 3

A male boss asks a female subordinate to
travel with him on a personal business trip.
There appears to her to be no real
business need for her to travel. In order to
save money, the trip will require them to
stay over on a Saturday night. She
refuses, because she feels it is
inappropriate. On her next performance
evaluation, she receives a much lower
rating than she expected.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 4

Ninth-graders at a local middle school
(both male and female) tease a classmate
because she has a reputation for dating
older boys. They call her names such as
bitch and tramp. She becomes depressed
by the teasing and her schoolwork suffers.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 5

A female co-worker has a desk near the
water fountain. Male co-workers frequently
stop at the fountain on Monday mornings
and discuss their weekends. Much of this
discussion includes detailed replays of their
sexual activity and often includes
derogatory or sexist remarks about their
women partners. While they never speak
to the female co-worker, she can overhear
them. She has repeatedly asked them to
stop, and she has begun to dread coming
in to work on Mondays.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 6

A female supervisor asks a male
subordinate out on three occasions. Each
time, he refuses, but appears pleased that
she has asked him. On the fourth
occasion, she warns him that the next time
she asks him out, he had “better play ball
or else.” He is now concerned because he
needs his job very badly.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
Event 7

A male supervisor frequently goes out to
lunch with his male subordinates. His
female subordinates are rarely asked. He
also plays basketball on weekends with
several of the other males. He appears to
treat both males and females equally in
discussions, but everyone in the office is
aware that he always gives better work
assignments and higher raises to the male
subordinates.
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP
I-O psychologists are active in
prevention of sexual harassment
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
Help develop effective company policies
and procedures on sexual harassment
Design training to address:
 general
awareness of sexual harassment
 definitions,
policies, procedures
 communication
 to
avoid harassment before it happens
 conflict
 to
skills
resolution skills
address harassment went it occurs
Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP