Leadership & Organisations
5 mins read

What Gender Stereotypes Reveal About Social Influence

Featuring Hemant Kakkar
A new study reveals that gender-role stereotypes determine how people gain social influence.
What Gender Stereotypes Reveal About Social Influence (1)
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Hemant Kakkar
Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour. His research draws on social psychology and evolutionary theories of status and influence to examine judgments and behaviours of individuals and groups within social hierarchies. He also investigates why individuals sometimes engage in deviant behaviour, both positive and negative.
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Social influence is a powerful currency in a world shaped by formal and informal hierarchies across our professional, social, and personal lives. In each of these areas, some individuals seem to rise through the ranks with ease, gaining status, popularity, and influence, while others struggle despite equal effort. What is it that sets these individuals apart?

In my recent study, I explored two different ways to achieve social influence: dominance and prestige. Dominance is the traditional take-charge approach, characterised by being assertive, forceful, commanding, and sometimes intimidating. Prestige, on the other hand, is earned through expertise, generosity, and a willingness to share knowledge. In theory, either strategy can lead to influence. In practice, they do not work the same for everyone.

While both dominance and prestige are associated with higher social status and influence, research on these strategies overlooked the role of a critical factor — gender stereotypes.