Who Gets the Floor? Gender Differences in Speaking, Influence, and Egalitarian Preferences in Groups

Abstract

A growing body of research suggests that volubility—how much a person speaks during a social interaction—is linked to leadership attainment, such that those who speak more are more likely to emerge as leaders. Some evidence also indicates that women speak less than men in group settings, raising the possibility that gender differences in volubility contribute to women’s lower representation in leadership roles. Across five studies (N total = 1,931), I examined gender differences in volubility, informal leadership, and preferences for how voice is allocated within groups. Study 1 found that women spoke less than men and that this disparity mediated the relationship between gender and leadership attainment. Studies 2a-2b showed that women were more likely to prefer egalitarian voice allocation and viewed ability-aligned arrangements less favorably than men. Studies 3a-3b found that a hybrid speaking structure balancing equality and performance received the strongest support across gender.