Looking beyond biology: The impact of psychological gender on small group leadership emergence

The purpose of this study was to examine the respective impacts of biological sex and psychological gender on leadership emergence in small groups performing sex-typed tasks. Whereas past research involved participants experiencing fellow group members' biological sex and psychological gender simultaneously, the present study's use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a means to manipulate anonymity effectively "untied" participants' biological sex and psychological gender. The current study posited a two-way interaction between biological sex and sex-typing of the task to be performed such that males would emerge as leaders in male-typed tasks and females would emerge as leaders in female-typed tasks. This relationship would be accentuated when participants were identified to one another. Additionally, the current study posited a two-way interaction between psychological gender and sex-typing of the task to be performed such that masculine individuals would emerge as leaders in male-typed tasks and feminine individuals would emerge as leaders in female-typed tasks. This relationship would be accentuated when participants were anonymous to one another.; Two hundred and twenty people (n = 220) completed a pretest to determine their psychological gender. Participants were then randomly paired into dyads and assigned to one of four conditions: anonymous/male-typed task, anonymous/female-typed task, identified/male-typed task, identified/female-typed task. Participants were then given 15 minutes to discuss the task they were assigned. Immediately following their conversation, participants completed several questionnaires measuring their ix perceptions of their partner's leadership. Results did not support the proposed hypotheses. However, those participants who were identified to their partner were rated higher as maintenance leaders than those who were not. Additionally, those participants who performed a female-typed task were also rated higher as maintenance leaders than those who performed a male-typed task.; Though the proposed hypotheses were not supported, the current study provides valuable insight into the effects of anonymity and sex-typing of tasks on leadership emergence. Additionally, this study provides support for the notion of utilizing CMC to facilitate anonymity in future group communication research.