Overweight people suffer from workplace discrimination, and they also tend to be perceived as less competent yet warmer than people with an average physical constitution. This study uses an experimental between-subjects design to investigate whether the greater warmth perceived in overweight people may become a beneficial factor (e.g., by receiving higher remuneration) when applying for certain jobs where warmth is an important dimension. The results indicated that for a job where likeability and warmth are important (party entertainer), the candidate received higher remuneration when they were presented as an overweight person than when they were presented as having an average physical constitution. Finally, we discuss the possible implications of this study for hiring departments, as well as possible strategies to lower workplace discrimination as a consequence of physical constitution.
RESUMENLas personas con sobrepeso suelen sufrir discriminación en el contexto laboral. Asimismo, las personas con sobrepeso tienden a ser percibidas como menos competentes pero más cálidas que las personas de complexión física media. El presente estudio investiga, mediante un diseño experimental intersujetos, si la mayor calidez percibida en las personas con sobrepeso podría resultar un factor beneficioso (e.g., recibiendo una mayor remuneración) cuando optan a determinados puestos de trabajo donde la calidez es un rasgo importante. Los resultados indicaron que para un puesto de trabajo para el que la simpatía y la calidez resultaban relevantes (animador de fiestas), el candidato recibía una mayor remuneración cuando era presentado como una persona con sobrepeso que cuando era presentado con una complexión media. Finalmente, se discuten las posibles implicaciones de este estudio para los departamentos de selección, así como posibles estrategias para reducir la discriminación en el contexto laboral como consecuencia de la complexión física.
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