Stereotypes of Women and Men Across Gender Subgroups

Abstract

In this paper, we argue for the value of studying gender stereotypes at the subgroup level, combining insights from the stereotype content model, social role theory, and intersectional perspectives. Empirically, we investigate the stereotype content of gender subgroups in Norway, a cultural context for which a systematic description of stereotypes of gender subgroups is lacking. In a pilot study (n = 60), we established salient subgroups within the Norwegian context. Employing the stereotype content model, these groups were rated on warmth and competence in a main study (n = 191). Combining social role and intersectional perspectives, we compared stereotypes of women and men in the same social roles and social categories across subgroups. Comparisons between subgroups of women and men occupying the same social role indicated that at the subgroup level, women are often viewed as warmer than men, whereas the reverse appears to be a rare exception. Competence ratings, however, did not show this consistency. Our results at the subgroup level are consistent with research indicating that current gender stereotypes converge on constructs related to the competence dimension and remain divergent for constructs related to warmth.

The perceived role fit of women and men academics: evidence from the social sports sciences

“…The finding for the total role fit index is in line with Renström et al ( 2021 ), who found that women lecturers are not perceived differently from men lecturers by students. Furthermore, it supports the findings of Bye et al ( 2022 ) that women academics are not only perceived as similar to men academics but are also rated higher in some attributes. Even though the total role fit is higher for women academics, the range of the role fit indicates that women might be perceived more controversially than men.…”

“…In contrast, men perceive a higher role fit for men academics. Even though the regression models with women's role fit as a dependent variable do not show significant effects for gender, the effects in the other models support findings that men perceive a stronger role incongruity between women and the work in academia (Carli et al, 2016), while women perceive a higher role fit for women academics (Bye et al, 2022). The results support previous literature that men perceive stronger gender-science stereotypes (Symth and Nosek, 2015), resulting in the perception of a higher role fit for men academics.…”

“…The investigation of perceived role attributes and the calculation of role fit of women and men academics is particularly valuable because some studies have produced contrary results on the perception of women in science. While competence is stereotypically perceived as a men attribute (Prentice and Carranza, 2002 ), women in both academia and leadership positions were rated similar or higher in competence than men (Bye et al, 2022 ). Similarly, women lecturers were not perceived as different to their men colleagues by students (Renström et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Similarly, men rated women as less agentic than men, e.g., having less leadership competence and assertiveness, in a study conducted by Haines et al ( 2019 ). Bye et al ( 2022 ) found that women perceive women academics as more competent than men academics. Furthermore, both women and men perceive that traditional gender roles change.…”

The impact of non-stereotypical gender role endorsement in live broadcasting on consumers’ purchase intention

“…This is consistent with previous research on traditional marketing channels such as advertising, where there is no significant difference in evaluations of spots in male product advertisements regardless of whether a male or female voice is used ( Whipple and McManamon, 2002 ). This may be due to the fact that for male products, female characteristics such as helpfulness, gentleness, and good listening skills provide a certain amount of warmth ( Bye et al, 2022 ), which will be then transferred to consumers’ perceptions of the product. This neutralizes the negative impact of gender conflict on consumers’ purchase intentions in the non-stereotypical gender role endorsement context to some extent.…”