Originally posted by MerryK
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I wonder if gender doesn't play a role here. Research has shown that what people perceive as confidence in men is often perceived as arrogance in women, not only in leadership roles, but in the sciences, as well. This goes back to the age old perception that women should be submissive, pleasant, people-pleasers rather than leaders and scientific problem-solvers (in Sam's case).
It's fairly well documented that boys, generally, have fewer self-esteem issues than girls, and hence, behaviors differ accordingly. A girl or woman who exhibits the same self-esteem as boys or men is a bit unusual, and may be perceived as having self-esteem that is too high (ie. arrogant, overconfident) in comparison to her female peers.
Would we be having this conversation if Sam were a guy? I have to wonder...
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