“People Are Too Quick to Take Offense”: The Effects of Legal Information and Beliefs on Definitions of Sexual Harassment
2008; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 33; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1111/j.1747-4469.2008.00108.x
ISSN1747-4469
Autores Tópico(s)Law in Society and Culture
ResumoLaw & Social InquiryVolume 33, Issue 2 p. 417-445 "People Are Too Quick to Take Offense": The Effects of Legal Information and Beliefs on Definitions of Sexual Harassment Justine E. Tinkler, Justine E. Tinkler Stanford UniversitySearch for more papers by this author Justine E. Tinkler, Justine E. Tinkler Stanford UniversitySearch for more papers by this author First published: 02 May 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-4469.2008.00108.xCitations: 28 Justine Tinkler is a postdoctoral researcher at the Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University. The author can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]. The author would like to thank Rebecca Sandefur, Cecilia Ridgeway, Michele Landis Dauber, Stefanie Mollborn, Yan Li, and Tessa Tinkler for their helpful advice on earlier drafts. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Using data from a nationwide study of sexual harassment in the United States' federal workplace, this article investigates how legal understanding, opinions about the regulation of sexual harassment, and social status affect whether people define uninvited sexual jokes or remarks as harassment. The results indicate that how people define sexual harassment is directly related to the extent to which they view sexual harassment rules as ambiguous and threatening to workplace norms. Moreover, results show that while women generally define sexual harassment more broadly than men, they actually resist defining sexual jokes or remarks as harassment. Finally, knowledge of the workplace sexual harassment policy moderates the effect of beliefs on definitions of sexual harassment. These findings suggest a complexity in the way people reconcile their knowledge of the law with their personal views about power and social interaction in the workplace. REFERENCES Antecol, Heather, and Deborah Cobb-Clark. 2003. Does Sexual Harassment Training Change Attitudes? A View from the Federal Level. Social Science Quarterly 84: 826–42. Allport, Gordon. 1954. The Nature of Prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Berelson, Bernard R., Paul F. Lazarsfeld, and William N. McPhee. 1954. 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