Abstract
Proportions, that is, relative numbers of socially and culturally different people in a group, are seen as critical in shaping interaction dinamics, and four group types are identified in the basis of varying proportional compositions. "Skewed" groups contain a large preponderance of one type (the numerical "dominants") over another (the rare "tokens"). A framework is developed for conceptualizing the processes that occur between dominants and tokens. Three perceptual phenomena are associated with tokens: visibility (tokens capture a disproportionate awareness share), polarization (differences between tokens and dominants are exaggerated), and assimilation (tokens' attributes are distorted to fit preexisting generalizations about their social type). Visibility generates performance pressures; polarization leads dominants to heighten their group boundaries; and assimilation leads to the tokens' role entrapment. Illustrations are drawn from a field study in a large industrial corporation. Concepts are extended to tokens of all kinds, and research issues are identified.
Keywords
Security tokenVisibilityPolarization (electrochemistry)PerceptionPsychologyAssimilation (phonology)Social groupSocial psychologyComputer scienceGeographyLinguisticsComputer security
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1977
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 965-990
- Citations
- 2922
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Rosabeth Moss Kanter
(1977).
Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life: Skewed Sex Ratios and Responses to Token Women.
American Journal of Sociology
, 82
(5)
, 965-990.
https://doi.org/10.1086/226425
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1086/226425