Page 83 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

3. RELATIONAL DEMOGRAPHY
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Expand the Outcomes of Relational Demography
In Table 3.1, we organize the dependent variables from the current set of
relational demography studies into six dimensions: behavioral outcomes,
attitudes/psychological adjustment, job design outcomes, workgroup out­
comes, reward and career outcomes, and social support outcomes. In total,
41 different dependent variables have been examined as outcomes of rela­
tional dissimilarity.
All together, the studies from this literature review examined 145 sep­
arate relationships between a demographic dissimilarity measure and a
specified work-related outcome. In an attempt to organize the collective set
of findings, each of these relationships was coded as either: (a) statistically
significant, and supporting the basic premises of relational demography
(i.e., a negative association between dissimilarity and some favorable out­
come); (b) not statistically significant; or (c) statistically significant, but in
an opposite direction of that prescribed by relational demography theory.
The results of this analysis revealed that 78 relationships (54%) were
consistent with relational demography theory, 47 relationships (32%) were
not statistically significant, and 20 relationships (14%) were significant, but
in the opposite direction of that hypothesized. Table 3.1 shows that rela­
tional demography predictions have been supported most often when the
outcomes of interest were related to workgroup processes or perceptions
(70%). This may be due to the fact that relational demography in groups,
by definition, is theoretically based in the dynamics of workgroup func­
tioning.
In this respect, it seems that an appropriate goal for future research is
to identify outcomes that are proximal in nature to relational dissimilarity.
Many of the outcomes used in prior research appear to have a more distal
association with the processes associated with dissimilarity, and so it is not
surprising that inconsistent support has been obtained for hypothesized
relationships.
It is often theorized that demographic dissimilarity leads to ingroup/
outgroup categorizations, promoting ingroup favoritism and outgroup
discrimination. Yet, little research has examined the proximal outcome
areas of perceived discrimination and exclusionary treatment. In an ex­
ception, Ragins and Cornwell (2001) examined both the antecedents and
consequences of perceived discrimination among gay and lesbian employ­
ees. They found that when gay and lesbian employees were in primarily
heterosexual groups (relational dissimilarity), they were more likely to
report (perceive) discrimination. Similarly, perceptions of discrimination
were less likely when a gay employee had a gay supervisor. While Ragins
and Cornwell (2001) examined sexual orientation similarity, they did