Which Ideas for Change Are Endorsed? How Agentic and Communal Voice Affects Endorsement Differently for Men and for Women

Abstract

This paper explores how gender affects idea endorsement. We depart from the existing approach, which considers the effect of gender and other factors in isolation, and propose that endorsement depends on who suggests which ideas and in what ways. Drawing upon expectancy violations theory, we argue that “positive counter-stereotypical voice”—conceptualized as an idea that signals desirable traits stereotypically associated with the opposite gender—is more likely to be endorsed compared to “positive yet stereotypical voice” (i.e., that signals desirable traits consistent with stereotypical expectations of the speaker’s gender). We argue that communal voice for men and agentic voice for women constitute positive counter-stereotypical voice, whereas agentic voice for men and communal voice for women constitute positive stereotypical voice. Then, we examine why positive counter-stereotypical voice results in positive evaluations—endorsement—by arguing that it affects attributions of competence and benevolence, albeit differently for men and for women. We test our hypotheses across three studies—one field and two experimental. Combined, we contribute to both the voice and gender literatures and shed new light on our understanding of how and why women and men get their ideas endorsed.