Males versus females: Who shows more chivalrous tendencies in the act of door holding?

1. Males versus females: Who shows more chivalrous tendencies in the act of door holding? Bobby Carnicella, Kass Crawford, Angela DiGeronimo, and Derik Orschell Hanover College

2. Introduction • Many men gave up their spots on the life boats of the Titanic in 1912 to ensure that women and children survived (Lichter, 1993). • If this scenario occurred in today’s society, how would men react? Would today’s men give up their lives in the name of chivalry?

3. Introduction continued… • Chivalrous acts such as door holding have been slowly declining since the sinking of the Titanic • Liberal contemporary feminism could be a cause (Walum, 1974)

4. Hypothesis 1 • We expect that males will more often hold the door for others to pass through first when compared to females. • Definition of door holding.

5. Hypothesis 2 background • The social setting may have a powerful influence on behaviors (Ventimiglia, 1982) • Are the differences in settings of fast food and sit-down restaurants included in this theory?

6. Hypothesis 2 • We expect that more door holding, in general, will occur at the two sit down restaurants than at the two fast food restaurants.

7. Participants • There were 81 participants. • 50 males; 31 females • 17 singles excluded from data • All participants were Caucasian. • Ages could not be determined accurately

8. Pairs of observers at each location Procedure • Sit-down: Empress of China, Key West Shrimp House • Fast Food: McDonald’s, Wendy’s

9. More Procedure • Observed from cars outside entrances • Exception: Wendy’s had to be observed from the inside • Tuesday and Saturday nights from 6pm-7pm (prime dinner hours).

10. Procedure Continued • Door holding behaviors were recorded on a data sheet by each researcher • 100% agreement between observers • All restaurants were observed twice • Exception: Empress of China only observed once

11. Results: Effects of gender on door holding behavior C2(1) = 5.139, p = .023, f2 = .0625

12. Effect of restaurant type on door holding behavior C2(1) = 6.832, p = .009, f2 = .0841

13. Discussion • We confirmed both hypotheses. • Our research confirms the studies done by: Goldman, Florez, and Fuller (1981). American men perform courteous behaviors more often than American women.

14. Discussion continued • Gender • Stereotypes • Conservative nature • Relationship • Context • Formal vs. Informal • Expense, expectations and dress

15. Limitations & Future Research • Limitations: the sample (Madison, Indiana), all participants same ethnicity. • Future research: diverse metropolitan city, 3+ restaurants, different social contexts & observe only adults.