SEX AND STATUS AS FACTORS AFFECTING THE LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING SUPERVISORS AND COUNSELORS IN SUPERVISORY EXCHANGES
Abstract
This investigation was conducted to measure the effects of sex and status on the language of counseling supervisors and counselors during counseling supervisory exchanges. The use of sex different communicative codes was analyzed in an effort to determine if stereotypical sex role behaviors relating to power were reflected in the language of male and female supervisors and counselors. Transcripts of supervisory exchanges between 64 supervisors (32 male; 32 female) and 64 counselors (32 male; 32 female) in same and mixed-sex dyads were analyzed by four trained coders. A principal component analysis was computed and the factor matrix was orthogonally rotated using the varimax method. A three-way analysis of variance was computed for each factor using the factor scores which were derived from the varimax solution. The results of the investigation indicated that status as well as sex affected the use of certain gender specific speech forms which had clustered together to form conversational, hesitant, and power languages. It was found that female counselors paired with female supervisors used conversational language more than any other group. Male counselors paired with female supervisors used hesitant language more than any other group. Female supervisors paired with male counselors also used a significant amount of hesitant language. It was also found that male supervisors paired with male counselors used power language more than any other group. The results indicated that when men and women were in reversed roles in mixed-sex dyads in counseling supervisory exchanges, their language reflected the status they held in the supervisory relationship as well as the status their sex primarily held in society. Same-sex dyads linguistically reflected the affiliativeness stereotypically associated with women and the assertiveness stereotypically associated with men in society along with the speaker's status in the supervisory dyad. It was recommended that supervisors acquire the skills that would be necessary for them to utilize conversational, hesitant, and power languages appropriately. It was also recommended that future researchers conduct controlled experimental studies in this area while including individuals from various supervisory approaches in the sample.
Subject Area
Academic guidance counseling
Recommended Citation
GULLOTTA-GSELL, ADRIANE, "SEX AND STATUS AS FACTORS AFFECTING THE LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING SUPERVISORS AND COUNSELORS IN SUPERVISORY EXCHANGES" (1983). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8326175.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8326175
