Publication Date
Summer 2019
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
Advisor
Howard Tokunaga
Keywords
Computer-Mediated Communication, Gender, Leadership, Perception
Subject Areas
Psychology
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine how perceptions of a leader using computer-mediated communication (CMC) change based on leader gender, communication style, and gender of the recipient. This study had two research questions: whether perceptions of a leader change as a result of congruity or incongruity between the leader’s gender and the leader’s communication style, and whether perceptions of a leader using congruent or incongruent communication styles vary based on the gender of the recipient. This study utilized a 2 (gender of leader: male vs. female) x 2 (communication style: masculine vs. feminine) x 2 (gender of recipient: male vs. female) between-subjects design and data from 278 upper-division business and psychology students to answer the posited questions. There was no interaction between leader gender and communication style; however, the introduction of the recipient gender produced a significant interaction. The results of this study suggest that all three factors (leader gender, leader communication style, and recipient gender) must be taken into account in order to determine what influences the perception of a leader through CMC.
Recommended Citation
Zukanovic, Azra, "The Effects of Gender and Communication Style on the Perceptions of Leaders within Computer-Mediated Communication" (2019). Master's Theses. 5054.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.dr4y-pwr6
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/5054
