Interaction of sex and sex role in response to violations of preferred seating arrangements

Previous studies have indicated that men respond negatively to face-to-face invasion by strangers; females respond negatively to side-by-side invasion by strangers. In the first of two studies, men and women with an androgynous or traditional sex role were subjected to a face-to-face invasion by a same-sexed stranger. Men with a traditional sex role and women with an androgynous sex role felt more crowded (p<.05) than androgynous men and traditional women. Perceptions of crowding in these two groups were also accompanied by performance decrements as a result of the face-to-face invasion. In the second study, androgynous and traditional men and women were subjected to a side-by-side invasion. Women with a traditional sex role felt more crowded than all other groups (p<.05). There were no differences in perceptions of crowding among the other groups of subjects. Performance decrements were found only in women with a traditional orientation.