Sexual Stereotypes and Perceptions of Competence and Qualifications

Abstract

This study investigated differences between men and women in their use of sexual stereotypes when evaluating recent hirees. Participants (33 Euro-American undergraduate women and 45 Euro-American undergraduate men) read a job announcement for Personnel Analyst and a completed employment application form (with a picture of the applicant attached). They then completed a questionnaire, indicating their perceptions of the applicant's competence, qualifications, and status on other job-related characteristics. The information on the application form was the same except for the race and sex of the hiree. Three of the five expected interactions were statistically significant. It appears that men may underestimate the qualifications of women and rate them lower than men on other job-related characteristics.

The Ever-Changing Face of Sex Stereotyping and Sex Discrimination in the Workplace

“…In an experiment that had women perform assessment center tasks, Halpert, Wilson, and Hickman (1993) found that performance evaluations were consistently lower when the employee was pregnant, and Heilman and Okimoto (2008) found a bias against women identified as being parents who were applying for promotions to traditionally male positions. In a study of hiring decisions, Snipes, Oswald, and Cavdil (1998) found that perceptions of applicants' future job performance were generally less favorable toward female applicants (see also, Lee, Castella, & McCluney, 1997). Powell, Butterfield, and Parent (2002) compared two studies 13 years apart and found that although managerial stereotypes now place less emphasis on masculine characteristics, a good manager is still seen as being predominantly masculine (see also, Brenner, Tomkiewicz, & Schein, 1989;Dodge, Gilroy, & Fenzel, 1995;Gerdes & Kelman, 1981;Heilman & Okimoto, 2007;Lyness & Heilman, 2006;Powell & Butterfield, 1989;Ruble, Cohen, & Ruble, 1984).…”