Discussion Questions for Week 4

Assignment instructions
Ropes Chapters 8-12
Chapter 8
What does this tale have to say about perception, attribution, and impression management?
How does this tale illustrate the concept of ascribed status?
Besides wearing a hat, what other strategies can women use to preclude situations similar to the one in the tale?
Chapter 9
What do the two scenarios in this chapter have in common, and how do they differ?
How might you use the lessons of this chapter in the service of your own career progression?
Can Success be a bad thing?
Chapter 10
How is the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy illustrated in this tale?
Can environment influence behavior as much as this tale suggests?
Do you agree with Claude’s explanation for the improved test scores of minority job candidates?
If your performance in a particular course is really poor, might it not be irresponsible for an instructor to add “mercy points” so that it looks as if you did okay?
Chapter 11
How should women respond to illegal questions posed in job interviews?
Why is it typically viewed differently when a young male employee such as Stanley changes jobs in comparison to when a young female like Leslie changes jobs or takes maternity leave?
What do you make of the argument that hiring a female who may take maternity leave is just a cost of doing business, like hiring a young male who may well leave for another job in two or three years?
Chapter 12
How does a woman, or man, manage romantic relationships in the workplace?Is it possible?Is it avoidable?
How are explanations of events contrary to expectations — a woman moving up rapidly in executive ranks — structured to confirm general beliefs and not invalidate them?
Thinking about Ben Franklin’s and Karrie Drake’s typical actions at work, can you summarize Pat’s explanation for why Ann Wood is viewed as cold and somewhat mean by most folks in the company?
What do the following three phrases have in common, and how does the last one differ from the first two (in terms of who is or is not being complimented)?
-“thinks like a man”
-“a credit to his race”
-“sleeping her way to the top”