When Using a Negative Gender Stereotype as an Excuse Increases Gender Stereotyping in Others.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: When Using a Negative Gender Stereotype as an Excuse Increases Gender Stereotyping in Others.
Authors: Burkley, Melissa (AUTHOR), Andrade, Angela (AUTHOR), Burkley, Edward (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Social Psychology. Mar-Apr2016, Vol. 156 Issue 2, p202-210. 9p.
Subjects: Gender stereotypes, Psychology of women, Mathematics exams, Performance, Gender differences (Psychology)
Abstract: Prior work has shown that women use gender stereotypes to excuse their stereotypic failures, and doing so incurs negative costs. This study examined if the audience who witnesses a woman using such a stereotypic excuse also incurs costs in the form of increased gender stereotype endorsement. Male and female participants reviewed a survey supposedly completed by a female target who recently took a math exam. In this survey, the female target either performed well or poorly on the exam, and when asked to explain her performance, either invoked a gender stereotype as an excuse (e.g., women are worse at math than men) or not. The results indicated that men (but not women) showed greater gender stereotype endorsement after reading about a female target that invoked a stereotypic excuse. These results suggest that when women use a gender stereotype as an excuse, they may unintentionally cause some observers to increase their endorsement of gender stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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Abstract:Prior work has shown that women use gender stereotypes to excuse their stereotypic failures, and doing so incurs negative costs. This study examined if the audience who witnesses a woman using such a stereotypic excuse also incurs costs in the form of increased gender stereotype endorsement. Male and female participants reviewed a survey supposedly completed by a female target who recently took a math exam. In this survey, the female target either performed well or poorly on the exam, and when asked to explain her performance, either invoked a gender stereotype as an excuse (e.g., women are worse at math than men) or not. The results indicated that men (but not women) showed greater gender stereotype endorsement after reading about a female target that invoked a stereotypic excuse. These results suggest that when women use a gender stereotype as an excuse, they may unintentionally cause some observers to increase their endorsement of gender stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00224545
DOI:10.1080/00224545.2015.1090945