The influence of gender related factors on judgements about bereaved individuals

Abstract

This study examined the influence of gender typicality of grief behaviour, gender of the bereaved and gender of the respondent on judgements of peers about bereaved individuals. The study included 132 Dutch respondents with 95 females and 37 males aged 18-68 years who had to read vignettes about men and women expressing gender-typical and gender-atypical grief behaviour. Judgements were measured by answering questions about empathy, appropriateness and adaptation. Results showed that, a) gender-typical grief behaviour is seen as more appropriate than gender-atypical grief behaviour, b) peers expect better adaptation when the bereaved express more restoration-oriented grief behaviour than loss-oriented grief behaviour, c) females find grief behaviour more appropriate than males, d) females have more empathy for bereaved individuals, e) grieving women are seen as more appropriate than grieving men, and f) individuals have more empathy for bereaved individuals of the opposite sex. The results show all three gender related factors influencing judgements about grief behaviour in different ways. Limitations and implications for further research are discussed.