ANTECEDENTS AND OUTCOMES OF WOMAN-UNFRIENDLY EXPERIENCES

Predictors and outcomes of male harassment and hostility toward women (woman-unfriendly experiences) were analyzed for professional and blue-collar women ( N = 805) in three geographic regions. Two central questions were addressed by using multiple regression: Do the same types of variables predict woman-unfriendly experiences across regions? Are there similar job-related and psychological outcomes of woman-unfriendly experiences across regions? Americans reported more such experiences and they affected more outcomes. Scandinavians had fewer woman-unfriendly experiences than Americans, fewer job-related or psychological problems, more autonomy, and better work environments. Former Soviet professionals reported more unfriendly experiences than workers but less than their peers in the other regions. Differences among the regions were attributed to general social and economic policies that have attempted to eradicate gender inequality (Scandinavia), occupational status levelling and traditional gender stereotypes (former USSR), or cultural values of competitiveness and individualism and heightened sensitivity to the issue of sexual harassment (United States).