Communicating By Catcalling: Power Dynamics and Communicative Motivations in Street Harassment

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to better understand the motivations behind why men street harass women as well as the relationship between power and street harassment using the framework of dyadic power theory and interaction adaptation theory. I hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between men’s reported attitudes about sexual harassment and men’s reports of engaging in street harassment behaviors. A critical test was posed about differences in control attempts and counter control attempts depending on perceptions of power. I hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between equal power and women’s counter control attempts. Research questions about other possible communicative motivations for street harassment were also posed. One hundred forty nine participants were surveyed and results showed that 88% of men who reported engaging in street harassment behaviors did so with the intent of changing the receiver’s behavior. Men most frequently reported affection as their motivation for engaging in street harassment and women most frequently reported pleasure as a motivation for why men would engage in street harassment. Implications are discussed such as identifying that power is related to street harassment and that men and women have different perceptions of street harassment which could be helped by educational training.