What's Good for the Goose Is Not Good for the Gander

Abstract

As women and minorities enter occupations traditionally closed to them, they are increasingly likely to occupy positions of solo status (i.e., to be either the only member or one of a small number of their sex or ethnic group in a work situation). In this article, we consider the consequences of having solo status. We report the results of an experiment that varied the sex composition of task-oriented groups. The consequences of having solo status were markedly different for solo males and solo females. Solo females were unlikely to be group leaders; overall group satisfaction was lowest when a solo female was present; and gender-related issues were most likely to be raised in groups including a solo female. Solo males, on the other hand, tended to be integrated into the group as leaders, resulting in smoother group functioning. The implications of having solo status in terms of opportunity for professional advancement are discussed.