Social identity management strategies of women in STEM fields

Abstract

Recruiting and retaining women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations is seen as challenging, and researchers have begun to consider how women manage their identity in these contexts in response to potential questions of fit. Within identity management theoretical work, there has been little attention to occupational influences. Based on role congruity theory, we investigate occupational characteristics as influences on women's gender identity management, along with individual differences and organizational support influences. Results suggest that engaging in identity management behaviours is unrelated to the gender stereotypicality or gender composition of the field, but that support, fit (i.e., congruence between the interests of the individual and occupation), and personality affect engagement in these behaviours. Implications for enhancing the experiences of women in STEM fields as well as for social identity-related research more broadly are discussed. Practitioner pointsIndividuals may differ in how they choose to address stigmatization at work, based on their personality and fit with the position. Perceived organizational support is associated with willingness to engage in stigmatization confronting strategies. Efforts to understand and affect identity management strategy use should consider individual characteristics (i.e., interests and personality).

Managing boundaries between work and non‐work domains: Personality and job characteristics and adopted style

“…Prior convergent validity evidence suggests process orientation is related to other conscientiousness scales (e.g., r = .63 with NEO conscientiousness), with emotive orientation having more modest relationships with measures of emotional stability/neuroticism (−.30 and .23 with 16PF stability and NEO neuroticism scales) (see Birkman et al, 2013). Corrected correlations (for attenuation due to unreliability) between emotive orientation and NEO neuroticism have been reported as .25, and between process orientation and NEO conscientiousness as .81 (Birkman, Elizondo, Lee, Wadlington, & Zamzow, 2008; Ryan, King, Elizondo, & Wadlington, 2020).…”

Pushing the boundaries: A qualitative study of how stem women adapted to disrupted work–nonwork boundaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“…Women in STEM who perceive a lack of fit engage more in practices such as downplaying their social category or highlighting positive features of their gender identity (Ryan et al, 2020). However, these women engage less in these practices when they feel supported by the organization (Ryan et al, 2020) and are also more productive and satisfied in supportive climates (Settles et al, 2006). Due to circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, workers faced dramatic changes in their work and nonwork demands and lacked access to their previous supports.…”

“…Because of perceptions that women do not belong in STEM fields, explained by role congruity theory (Eagly & Karau, 2002), many STEM women experience an inherent conflict between their gender and professional identities (Settles et al, 2009). Women in STEM who perceive a lack of fit engage more in practices such as downplaying their social category or highlighting positive features of their gender identity (Ryan et al, 2020). However, these women engage less in these practices when they feel supported by the organization (Ryan et al, 2020) and are also more productive and satisfied in supportive climates (Settles et al, 2006).…”

Profiles in persistence: A latent profile analysis of multilevel coping strategies enacted among women in the sciences

“…Specific to coping behavior, POS has been linked to proactive strategies. For example, Ryan et al (2019) found that POS increased the likelihood that women in STEM would confront stigmatizing behaviors. They argue that this occurs because women with high POS may perceive they would be supported by the organization if they were to directly address discrimination.…”