GENDER, CONTROL, AND INTERACTION

This research examines gender as status, and gender and control (which share the meaning of dominance) as identities by analyzing negative a nd positive behavior of married couples whose task is to resolve disag reements in their marriage. On the basis of recent extensions of expec tation states theory dealing with emotion-based behavior, we hypothesi ze that husbands will be more likely than wives to use negative behavi or in conversation. On the basis of identity theory and the meanings o f emotion-based behavior, we also hypothesize that those with a more m asculine and more dominant control identity will be more likely to use negative behavior in interaction, and that those with a more feminine and less dominant control identity will be more likely to use positiv e behavior. We test these predictions on a representative sample of ne wly married couples, using videotaped conversations. Although the resu lts are consistent with predictions from identity theory, they are inc onsistent with predictions following from the extension of expectation states theory. Specifically, wives rather than husbands employ more n egative behavior in conversation. The results, paradoxically, are diff erent for being female than for being feminine, and different for bein g male than for being masculine; nonetheless, we argue that understand ing the implications of gender as both status and identity helps to re solve the paradox.