Blacks and Women Must Try Harder

Abstract

Previous research has shown that differential causal attributions are made for identical successful performance of male or female stimulus persons. It has been suggested (Deaux, 1976) that expectations derived from stereotypical assumptions about men and women might also hold for other stereotyped groups. A study was conducted to test this assumption by examining causal attributions for a successful banking career based on both the sex and race (black or white) of the target persom It was found that both male and female subjects attributed significantly greater ability, less effort, and less luck to the white male than to the other three groups (white female, black male, or black female)for whom attributions did not differ. Thus, race and sex act similarly as stimulus variables for attribution.

Gender- and race-based standards of competence: Lower minimum standards but higher ability standards for devalued groups.

“…This suggests that the shifting standards model may be more applicable than status characteristics theory to judgments concerning minimum standards or criteria to qualify as having an attribute (e.g., displayed competence in a domain), whereas status characteristics theory may be more applicable than the shifting standards model to broad-based inferences that this attribute is indicative of underlying ability. Thus, when perceivers are asked to make judgments that focus on minimum standards, we should find evidence that they set lower standards for women than men, and when they are asked to make broad-based ability inferences, they should more readily label the same level of performance by a man and a woman as indicative of ability in the man (see also Deaux, 1976Deaux, , 1984Deaux & Emswiller, 1974;Hansen & O'Leary, 1985;Swim & Sanna, 1996;Yarkin et al, 1982). The two studies presented here involve explicit tests of these predictions (with the substitution of Black-White in Study 2 for female-male in Study 1).…”

“…Carter (1993) wrote the following about the difficulties faced by Black Americans as they seek to prove their worth in school and the workplace: “Our parents’ advice was true: We really do have to work twice as hard to be considered half as good [as Whites]” (p. 58). In this statement, he acknowledges the assimilative effects that stereotypes can have: Because of low expectations for Blacks, equal performance from a Black and White target is not sufficient to garner Blacks a positive evaluation; more is needed from a Black (see, e.g., Davis & Watson, 1982; Pettigrew & Martin, 1987; Yarkin, Town, & Wallston, 1982).…”

Out of Role? Out of Luck: The Influence of Race and Leadership Status on Performance Appraisals

“…Even when Black leaders do succeed or fail based on their merit (and not external causes listed previously), the implications are different for them than for White leaders. For instance, a mistake made by a Black employee is often attributed to internal causes (e.g., lack of effort or ability) whereas a White employee's mistake is attributed to external causes (e.g., bad luck or a difficult task; Orpen, 1981;Yarkin, Town, & Wallston, 1982); however, the opposite pattern is found for attributions of successful job performance .…”

The Myth That Only Brilliant People Are Good at Math and Its Implications for Diversity

“…In contrast, when male students succeeded, they were viewed as especially gifted. Similarly, people often believe that any success that racial/ethnic minorities might achieve is less a function of an innate ability, and more likely due to factors such as institutional supports or extra personal effort [24].…”