RESEARCH ON SUBTLE FACTORS (CUES) WHICH ARE IMPORTANT IN THEEFFECTIVE OPERATION OF GROUPS

DESPITE THE GROWING PRESENCE OF WOMEN IN PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL ROLES, THE STIGMA STILL EXISTS THAT THEY ARE SOMEHOW LESS EFFECTIVE THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. STUDIES OF MIXED-SEX TASK GROUPS INDICATE THAT WOMEN ARE LESS ACTIVE, LESS INFLUENTIAL, ARE INTERRUPTED MORE OFTEN, AND ARE CHOSEN AS LEADERS LESS OFTEN THAN MEN. ONE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS INTERACTION INEQUALITY IS THAT WOMEN REMAIN UNDERREPRESENTED IN MANY OCCUPATIONS AND IN UPPER LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL HIERARCHY, AND WOMEN OFTEN FACE DIFFERING CRITERIA FOR HIRING, PROMOTION, AND TRAINING. RECENT RESEARCH HAS EXAMINED THE CONTRIBUTIONS OFTASK CUES AND DOMINANCE CUES ON PERCEPTIONS OF COMPETENCY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO (A) EXAMINE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH TASK AND DOMINANCE CUES IMPACT THE ATTAINMENT OFSTATUS IN GROUPS, (B) EXAMINE INTERVENTIONS TO OVERCOME THE INTERACTION INEQUALITY FACED BY WOMEN AND MINORITIES, AND (C) EXAMINE SPECIAL CONDITIONS FACED BY WOMEN WHO ATTEMPT TOINCREASE THEIR STATUS IN TASK GROUPS.