Argumentativeness, an assertive style of communication, has been conceptualized
as both constructive and desirable; it is linked with several managerial qualities,
such as group leadership, better decision-making, and enhanced credibility. A rea
sonable expectation is that supervisors would exhibit a higher level of argumenta
tiveness. However, most efforts to show a direct link between argumentativeness
and workplace success have led to equivocal results. In fact, a recent study of
employed women shows that women above the first supervisory level are more
moderate in their argumentativeness. The present study, which surveys nearly 300
full-time employed men, shows that men at all levels exhibit the full range of argu
mentativeness. Moreover, the mean argumentativeness of supervisors at all levels is
significantly lower than that of the non-supervisors. The contrast is even more
striking when only the ambitious, qualified entry-level men are compared to the
supervisors. The similarly-high mean argumentativeness of male college students
and management track non-supervisors suggests intervention by business communi
cation instructors could be helpful.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anderson, J., Schultz, B., & Staley, C.C. (1987). Training in argumentativeness: New hope for nonassertive women. Women's Studies in Communication, 10, 58-66.
2.
Babbie, E. (1990). Types of study design. In (Ed.) Survey research methods (2nd ed., pp. 51-64). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
3.
Burgoon, M., Dillard, J.P., & Doran, N.E. (1983). Friendly or unfriendly persuasion: The effects of violations of expectations by males and females. Human Communication Research, 10, 283-294.
4.
Boster, F.J., Levine, T., & Kazoleas, D. (1993). The impact of argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness on strategic diversity and persistence in compliance-gaining behavior. Communication Quarterly, 41, 405-414.
5.
Burnett, R.E. (1991). Substantive conflict in a cooperative context: A way to improve the collaborative planning of workplace documents. Technical Communication, 38, 532-539.
6.
Carli, L.L. (1990). Gender, language, and influence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, 941-951.
7.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.) Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
8.
Darus, H.J. (1994). Argumentativeness in the workplace: A trait by situation study. Communication Research Reports, 11, 99-106.
9.
Ewald, H.R., & Burnett, R.E. (1997). Business Communication. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
10.
Hirokowa, R.Y., & Pace, R. (1983). A descriptive investigation of the possible communication-based reasons for effective and ineffective group decision making. Communication Monographs, 50, 363-379.
11.
Infante, D.A. (1982). The argumentative student in the speech communication classroom: An investigation and implications. Communication Education, 31, 141-148.
12.
Infante, D.A. (1985). Inducing women to be more argumentative: Source credibility effects. Journal of Applied Communication Research , 13, 33-44.
13.
Infante, D.A. (1987). Enhancing the prediction of response to a communication situation from communication traits. Communication Quarterly , 35, 308-316.
14.
Infante, D.A. (1989). Response to high argumentatives: Message and sex differences. The Southern Communication Journal, 54, 159-170.
15.
Infante, D.A. (1995). Teaching students to understand and control verbal aggression. Communication Education, 44, 51-63.
16.
Infante, D.A., & Gorden, W.I. (1985a). Benefits versus bias: an investigation of argumentativeness, gender, and organizational outcomes. Communication Research Reports, 2, 196-201.
17.
Infante, D.A., & Gorden, W.I. (1985b). Superiors' argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness as predictors of subordinates' satisfaction. Human Communication Research, 12, 117-125.
18.
Infante, D.A., & Gorden, W.I. (1987). Superior and subordinate communication profiles: Implications for independent-mindedness and upward effectiveness. Central States Speech Journal, 38(2), 73-80.
19.
Infante, D.A., & Gorden, W.I. (1989). Argumentativeness and affirming communicator style as predictors of satisfaction/dissatisfaction with subordinates. Communication Quarterly, 37(2), 81-90.
20.
Infante, D.A., & Rancer, A.S. (1982). A conceptualization and measure of argumentativeness . Journal of Personality Assessment, 46, 72-80.
21.
Infante, D.A., & Rancer, A.S. (1993). Relations between argumentative motivation, and advocacy and refutation on controversial issues. Communication Quarterly, 41, 415-426.
22.
Infante, D.A., & Rancer, A.S. (1996). Argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness: A review of recent theory and research. Communication Yearbook , 19, 319-351.
23.
Infante, D.A., Rancer, A.S., & Womack, D.F. (1993). Building communication theory (2nd ed.). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
24.
Johnson, B.S., & Bayless, M.L. (1997). Business communication. Houston, TX: Dame Publications, Inc.
25.
Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R.T. (1979). Conflict in the classroom: Controversy and learning . Review of Educational Research, 49, 51-70.
26.
Kazoleas, D. (1993). The impact of argumentativeness on resistance to persuasion. Human Communication Research, 20, 118-137.
27.
Kraus, G. (1997). The psychodynamics of constructive aggression in small groups. Small Group Research, 28, 122-145.
28.
Kreitler, S., & Kreitler, H. (1990). The cognitive foundations of personality traits . New York, NY: Plenum Press.
29.
Locker, K.O. (1997). Business and administrative communication (4th ed.). NY: Irwin/McGraw-Hill .
30.
Logue, B. (1987, May 18-21). Argumentativeness in the organization: Employees assess its acceptability. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Communication Association, Syracuse, NY.
31.
McMillan, J.J., & Northern, N.A. (1995). Organizational codependency: The creation and maintenance of closed systems. Management Communication Quarterly, 9, 6-45.
32.
Nicotera, A.M. (1996). An assessment of the argumentativeness scale for social desirability bias. Communication Reports, 9, 23-35.
33.
Nicotera, A.M., & Rancer, A.S. (1994). The influence of sex on self-perceptions and social stereotyping of aggressive communication predispositions. Western Journal of Communication, 58, 283-307.
34.
Norton, R.W. (1978). Foundations of a communicator style construct . Human Communication Research, 4, 99-117.
35.
Onyekwere, E., Rubin, R.B., & Infante, D.A. (1991). Interpersonal perception and communication satisfaction as a function of argumentativeness and ego-involvement. Communication Quarterly, 39, 35-47.
36.
Rancer, A.S., & Baukus, R.A. (1987). Discriminating males and females on belief structures about arguing. In L. B. Nadler, M. K. Nadler, & W. R. Todd-Mancillus (Eds.), Advances in gender and communication research (pp. 155-173). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
37.
Rogosa, D. (1995). Myths and methods: "Myths about longitudinal research" plus supplemental questions in J. M. Gottman (Ed.), The analysis of change (pp. 3-66). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
38.
Sanders, J.A., Wiseman, R.L., & Gass, R.H. (1994). Does teaching argumentation facilitate critical thinking? Communication Reports, 7, 27-35.
39.
Saunders, P. (1998). Communication: A strategic tool for achieving personal and corporate competitive advantage. Richland, MI: Corporation of the Future, Inc.
40.
Schnake, M.E., Dumler, M.P., Cochran, D.S., & Barnett, T.R. (1990). Effects of differences in superior and subordinate perceptions of superiors' communication practices. The Journal of Business Communication, 27, 37- 51.
41.
Schullery, N.M. (1997). Communication behaviors of employed females: A survey focusing on argumentativeness and women's supervisory roles in organizations . (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Wayne State University ).
42.
Schullery, N.M. (1998). The optimum level of argumentativeness for employed women. The Journal of Business Communication, 35, 346-367.
43.
Schultz, B. (1982). Argumentativeness: Its effect in group decision making, and its role in leadership perception. Communication Quarterly, 30, 368-375.
44.
Shelby, A.N. (1993). Organizational, business, management, and corporate communication: An analysis of boundaries and relationships. The Journal of Business Communication, 30, 241-266.
45.
Wiley, M.G., & Eskilson, A. (1985). Speech style, gender stereotypes, and corporate success: What if women talk more like men? Sex Roles, 12, 993-1007.
