Level of voice among female and male high school students

Relational context, support, and gender orientation

Bibliographic Data

ID9789348
AuthorsSusan Harter (University of Denver, corresponding author), Patricia L Waters, Nancy Rumbaugh Whitesell (0000-0002-3383-3194), Diana Kastelic
Year1998
Volume34
Issue5
Pages892-901
Publication date1998-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037//0012-1649.34.5.892
PMID9779736
OpenAlexW2021733717
LanguageEN
Citations received67
References cited4

Adolescence brings with it displays of false self-behavior, including the suppression of opinions. C. Gilligan (1993) argued that lack of "voice" is problematic for girls when they enter adolescence. In the present study, the authors examined level of self-reported voice with parents, teachers, male classmates, female classmates, and close friends among both female and male high school students. Findings revealed no gender differences nor evidence that voice declines in female adolescents. For both genders, perceived support for voice was predictive of level of voice. Moreover, feminine girls reported lower levels of voice than did androgynous girls in public (but not private) relational contexts. Lower levels of voice were associated with more negative evaluations of self-worth. Discussion focused on the need to understand the causes of individual differences in voice within each gender, cautioning against generalizations about either gender as a group.

Context (archaeology · Developmental psychology · Orientation (vector space · Sexual orientation · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Early Childhood Education and Development · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Voice and Speech Disorders