Threatened by female bosses, men tend to act 'assertive' towards them

A new study has suggested that men tend to act more assertively towards female bosses as they feel more threatened by them than their male superiors.

Lead researcher and assistant professor Ekaterina Netchaeva, at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, said that the concept of masculinity was becoming more elusive in society as gender roles blurred, with more women taking management positions.

Even men who support gender equality may perceive these advances as a threat to their masculinity, whether they consciously acknowledge it or not, she added.

Self-assertive behavior by men toward female bosses could disrupt the workplace dynamics, stifle team cohesiveness and negatively affect team performance, Netchaeva said.

If men won't change their actions, then female supervisors may want to appear more proactive and less power-seeking to maintain smooth relationships in the workplace, she added.

The study is published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.