Language choice
Thus far, we have provided evidence consistent with a theory that both gender stereotypes and gender performance interact to produce gender inequality in interpersonal influence, but that neither gender stereotypes nor gendered performance are a dominant mechanism for that effect. We next turn to a direct evaluation of the gendered language used in the text of the conversations. Because written text is the only communication between respondents on our platform, variation in gendered performances can only be the result of different patterns of language use in the text exchanges. Furthermore, because the mislabeled partner does not know their gender has been misrepresented, changes in their language use can only arise as a reaction to the language used by their partner who has stereotyped expectations of their gender.Complementary to the theoretical expectations of influence presented in Table We use a dictionary of gendered political words developed by Roberts and UtychFigure Patterns of gendered language usage in chats on the social media platform by treatment condition. X axis describes average gender connotation of words, based on the Roberts and Utych dictionary databaseHowever, when one of the discussion partners is mislabeled, we find it changes both men’s We believe this demonstrates the complex, emergent nature of language and gender discrimination in real life settings. The results of all four analyses show evidence that both stereotypes and behaviors are at play, and that the interaction of both produces something distinctive from either. Importantly, our findings further highlight the limitations of interventions that are non-interactive or limited to a single exchange. Gender for both participants is constructed and reinforced continually throughout the course of a dynamic interaction