Mean Girls in the Workplace

By Dr. Carole Stephens

Mean Girls in the Workplace is a study conducted to find out why women are mean to each other and why they are so intent in stopping one another from progressing and moving forward in their careers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524577193

Dr. Carole Stephens

Dr. Carole L. Stephens is a Speaker, Psychologist, and Executive Coach. With a background in organizational psychology and human resource management, she enjoys presenting workshops, and seminars or relational aggression and "Mean Girls" in the workplace. Dr. Stephens' interest in mean girls developed as a result of her doctoral dissertation: Gender Incivility, Aggression and Job Satisfaction in the Workplace and the sudden increase in reality show “cat fights,” among women her conviction persists that women need to be trained in civility and decency toward one another. This passion, combined with seven years experience and research on relational aggression, as well as witnessing mean girl behaviour in the workplace personally gives her a unique perspective on relational aggression and mean girl behaviour. It is Dr. Stephens’ hope that by sharing her knowledge she will help women learn coping strategies, and interventions on how to identify and deal with this type of behaviour at work and know what they are not alone with their problem; take this information back to their workplaces and implement it immediately and feel empowered to make things. Dr. Stephens gained her MS degree in Human Resource Management at The New School in New York City. Since then, she has earned a Ph.D. in organizational psychology at Walden University. Dr. Stephens is also a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dr. Stephens lives in Sterling, Virginia. When not working, Dr. Stephens likes to give back to her community by serving on various volunteer committees with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dr. Stephens can be reached at [e-mail]

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Dr. Carole L. Stephens.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 01/23/2017

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

754779

Contents

Dedication

Abstract

Introduction

Problem Statement

Background

Literature Review

Microaggressions Theory

Relational Aggression Theory

Purpose of the Study

Hypotheses

Methods

Measures

Procedures

Design and Analysis

Results

Hypothesis Testing

Discussion

Implications

Limitations

Areas for Future Research

Conclusion

References

Dedication

To my family and many friends. My beloved daughter Audra, the joy of my life and my best friend, whose love and out-of-the-mouths-of-babes wisdom has sustained me on this journey. To my granddaughter Sierra Sweetie Arnold, you will never be a target.

To my sorority sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. who gave me a new appreciation for the meaning and importance of friendship and sisterhood, I cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement and for holding my feet to the fire.

I must acknowledge as well the many friends, colleagues, students, teachers, and librarians who assisted, advised, and supported my research and writing efforts over the years. I especially, need to express my gratitude and deep appreciation to Dr. Connie Stadler, my undergraduate professor at New York University, who influenced my decision to enter a doctoral program and conduct this research.

Abstract

This quantitative study examined relationships between perceptions of aggression, workplace incivility, and job satisfaction among legal professional women. Microaggressions Theory and Relational Aggression Theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. Perceptions of higher levels of direct and indirect aggression from others were significantly associated with greater workplace incivility toward others and with lower job satisfaction.

Study results provide empirical evidence of direct and indirect Mean Girl behavior in the legal workplace and highlight the negative consequences of Mean Girl behavior. Demonstrating microaggressions and relational aggression in the legal workplace support the theoretical framework. Present findings imply that reducing Mean Girl behavior may be