The role of gender in mentoring: Implications for diversified and homogenous mentoring relationships

The present study examined the effects of gender composition of mentoring relationships on proteges' perceptions of the degree of role modeling and psychosocial and career development mentoring functions received. Data from 200 mentor/protege dyads composed of working professionals from a variety of industries were analyzed using ANCOVA with planned comparisons. Results indicated that mentoring relationships involving female mentors in either homogeneous or diversified relationships provided more role modeling and less career development than relationships involving male mentors. Unexpectedly, male mentors in homogeneous relationships were associated with lower levels of role modeling than female mentors in either homogeneous or diversified relationships. Homogeneous male relationships also offered less psychosocial support than female mentors in diversified relationships with male proteges. Male mentors in diversified relationships with female proteges were associated with more career development than any other gender combination of mentoring relationship. (C) 2000 Academic Press.