Odd man (or woman) out: Demographic dissimilarity and the socialization of newcomers

Little research has investigated how newcomer characteristics interact with characteristics of the work group. We provide an exploratory overview of the ways that demographic dissimilarity might influence the socialization process, coupled with experimental data demonstrating the influence of gender on several outcomes. Our results show that females added to all female groups tend to be rated more positively in terms of performance than were males added to all female groups, but females added to all male groups were more well liked, were seen as more creative, and showed more leadership behaviors. We also observe newcomer effects on objective performance.