Sexual harassment: Factors affecting attitudes and perceptions

The current study investigated the effects of gender gender role, gender role stereotypes, age, occupation, and experience of sexual harassment on both attitudes to and perceptions of sexual harassment. The effects of these variables were also investigated in relation to experience of sexual harassment. Five questionnaires were administered to a sample of 48 high school students, 73 university students, and 75 workers (123 females, 73 males). The majority of respondents were of Anglo-Saxon descent. Gender role, gender role stereotypes, experience of sexual harassment, and perceptions of sexual harassment predicted attitudes to sexual harassment. Gender differences were also found in sexual harassment attitudes. Perceptions of sexual harassment were predicted by attitudes to sexual harassment, and gender role, with no gender differences being exhibited. Occupation, attitudes to sexual harassment and gender role were found to predict experience of sexual harassment. Age was also found to be strongly related to this variable. The results are interpreted within the framework of social learning theory and script theory. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are made.