Thursday, July 14, 2011

Our World Revisited: Do Double standards Between Men in Women in the Workplace Still Exist?

                                         The existence or non-existence between men and women at work has been around for decades, even more so in the 1960s, and has been studied among socialists, psychologists, and diversity analyst, and surprisingly young adults as to what the evidence is as well as possible reasons why they exist and the conclusions made pertaining to such existence. Some would even doubt the existence of double standards between men and women in the workplace and that the genders have evolved into one entity due to changing factors in society that allow more equality as far as opportunities and pay would go. Yet and still the majority would beg to differ and would even say that double standards between genders have reached a new level that has changed the way the thought of double standards are viewed, making it easier to accept and maintain in a casual and less prevalent sense.
                       Perspectives that readily suggest that the idea of double standards still exist between working men and women brings to the table the idea that women and men think and communicate differently, thus creating the perception of there being a double standard. According to associate professor of psychology at Wellesley College and author of various Harvard Business case studies, articles, and books, Linda L. Carli suggests that when communicating men promote the austerity of dominance and assertiveness which are characteristics of power and authority. This is even done by facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, choice of words, and rapport. Its suggested that women, however, are prone to communicating less assertively in tone of voice, body language, choice, of words, and rapport. This would include encouraging responses and welcoming rapport while leaving room for contradiction from the other party. For example most men are less likely to use words such as "um", "maybe", "I guess", and "I'm not sure", or "most likely"  at work while these words are often chosen by women to build or continue conversation and/or responses.  Carli also implies that men pay less attention to factors that do not support their thoughts or intentions at the moment while women consider all factors, paying close attention to expressions, tones, eye paths, sounds, and underlying statements when generally this is not hidden from but is given less importance to by men. This is why women are more efficient in remembering events, situations, and circumstances while men are more likely to forget them. These key differences in male and female communication could be seen as a legitimate cause and effect of the existence of double standards between genders at work even today. It even goes on to suggest that these double standards have taken a new, and more modern-age form which allows its existence in a casual but evident sense.
                  Who could possibly go against such an age-old issue and prevalent belief. Perhaps a younger generation. It was a welcoming surprise after much research that supports the idea of double standards that a survey taken by a pool of high school students proved to be, on the majority's side, contrary to popular thought and belief. According to the survey, the students argued the fact that more well known companies are owned or managed by women, that the media has begun to portray women as successful business and career leaders versus how they were portrayed in the 1960s, and that many important laws were enacted to ensure gender equality in the work place. They even argued that parental roles and career paths have reversed between genders today.
                 When considering these perspectives there is a detail that plays an important part in this topic and its age. In part, who is better at determining the existence of a social theory, belief, or issue? Is it the older generation who has the firm expertise in the working world or is it the younger generation which includes high school students and graduates alike who have less experience in the working world but holds a firm grip on current events and social issues, being that they are directly affected by them? Is the fruit more perceptive at its core?


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Welcome to Our World Revisited

Welcome to Our World Revisited