The compassionate sexist? How benevolent sexism promotes and undermines gender equality in the workplace.

Abstract

Although sexist attitudes are generally thought to undermine support for employment equity (EE) policies supporting women, we argue that the effects of benevolent sexism are more complex. Across 4 studies, we extend the ambivalent sexism literature by examining both the positive and the negative effects benevolent sexism has for the support of gender-based EE policies. On the positive side, we show that individuals who endorse benevolent sexist attitudes on trait measures of sexism (Study 1) and individuals primed with benevolent sexist attitudes (Study 2) are more likely to support an EE policy, and that this effect is mediated by feelings of compassion. On the negative side, we find that this support extends only to EE policies that promote the hiring of women in feminine, and not in masculine, positions (Study 3 and 4). Thus, while benevolent sexism may appear to promote gender equality, it subtly undermines it by contributing to occupational gender segregation and leading to inaction in promoting women in positions in which they are underrepresented (i.e., masculine positions). (PsycINFO Database Record

Another Test of Gender Differences in Assignments to Precarious Leadership Positions: Examining the Moderating Role of Ambivalent Sexism

“…These positive traits relate to communal rather than agentic dimensions (Barreto et al, ). BS implies that women are more suitable to assume supportive roles and they should be upheld as long as they occupy gender‐appropriate positions (Glick & Fiske, ; Hideg & Ferris, ). By supporting the hiring of women in feminine, but not in masculine positions, BS ensures that women are assigned to gender‐appropriate roles and gender hierarchy is preserved (Hideg & Ferris, ).…”

“…BS implies that women are more suitable to assume supportive roles and they should be upheld as long as they occupy gender‐appropriate positions (Glick & Fiske, ; Hideg & Ferris, ). By supporting the hiring of women in feminine, but not in masculine positions, BS ensures that women are assigned to gender‐appropriate roles and gender hierarchy is preserved (Hideg & Ferris, ). According to stereotype content model (Cikara & Fiske, ; Cuddy, Fiske, & Glick ; Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, ) such discriminatory behaviours that appear supportive of women, are called patronising discrimination (Glick & Fiske, ).…”

Reinvigorating Research on Gender in the Workplace Using a Positive Work and Organizations Perspective*

“…Similarly, across several studies, Hideg and Ferris () demonstrate that benevolent sexist attitudes are problematic. Although such attitudes may be driven by compassion and are associated with support for employment equity policies, such support is limited to hiring in positions viewed as feminine and not masculine, increasing gender segregation rather than equity (Hideg and Ferris ). Although factors such as positive stereotyping and benevolent sexism may carry a veneer of positivity on the surface, they do not support women's flourishing.…”

“…For example, positive stereotypes are associated with feeling like 'choking under pressure' (Tagler 2012, p. 401), and predict negative interpersonal experiences, particularly in individualistic cultures where people hold strong desires to be viewed as unique (Siy and Cheryan 2013). Similarly, across several studies, Hideg and Ferris (2016) demonstrate that benevolent sexist attitudes are problematic. Although such attitudes may be driven by compassion and are associated with support for employment equity policies, such support is limited to hiring in positions viewed as feminine and not masculine, increasing gender segregation rather than equity (Hideg and Ferris 2016).…”

The New Moral Power of Minorities

“…Research using measures of subtle sexism such as the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (Glick and Fiske, 1997) shows that gender-based prejudice is nowadays expressed in less direct ways (Faure & Ndobo, 2015;Wagner-Guillermou, Bourguignon & Tisserant, 2015). Moreover, many different kinds of data reveal the persistence of discrimination and derogation of women (e.g., Gutsell and Remedios, 2016;Hammond, Overall, and Cross, 2016;Hernandez, Redersdorff, and Martinot, 2015;Hideg and Ferris, 2016).…”