Latoya, who is an African American woman, is employed at Ardent Technologies. Her supervisor, Brad, is a White man. Discuss the research on gender, ethnicity, and emotion stereotypes, and what implications this research might have for Latoya on the job in areas such as her interactions with Brad and Brad’s evaluation of her performance.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Research shows that gender stereotypes regarding specific emotions varies across ethnic groups. Among European Americans, White women are viewed as not expressing anger, so it would be a violation of the female gender role for a woman to express anger. However, research shows that African Americans stereotype African American women as expressing almost as much anger as African American men. These findings show that certain emotions from certain genders are appropriate within some cultures, but not considered appropriate among others. So, in African American culture, it is acceptable for women to express anger about as much as men do. This norm is caricatured by the “angry Black woman” stereotype. Among White Americans, it is not acceptable for women to express anger; expressing anger violates the female gender role requirement to be warm and submissive. At work, Latoya might express anger over some issue in a way that is completely appropriate in her culture, but Brad may react to her as being completely inappropriate because, to him, women are not supposed to express anger. He may see her as a problem employee, or he may find confirmation of his stereotype that African American women are angry. Gender stereotypes of emotion can have a powerful impact on interpersonal interactions in highly important situations.