The Multiple Dimensions of Gender Stereotypes: A Current Look at Men’s and Women’s Characterizations of Others and Themselves

Abstract

We used a multi-dimensional framework to assess current stereotypes of men and women. Specifically, we sought to determine (1) how men and women are characterized by male and female raters, (2) how men and women characterize themselves, and (3) the degree of convergence between self-characterizations and charcterizations of one’s gender group. In an experimental study, 628 U.S. male and female raters described men, women, or themselves on scales representing multiple dimensions of the two defining features of gender stereotypes, agency and communality: assertiveness, independence, instrumental competence, leadership competence (agency dimensions), and concern for others, sociability and emotional sensitivity (communality dimensions). Results indicated that stereotypes about communality persist and were equally prevalent for male and female raters, but agency characterizations were more complex. Male raters generally descibed women as being less agentic than men and as less agentic than female raters described them. However, female raters differentiated among agency dimensions and described women as less assertive than men but as equally independent and leadership competent. Both male and female raters rated men and women equally high on instrumental competence. Gender stereotypes were also evident in self-characterizations, with female raters rating themselves as less agentic than male raters and male raters rating themselves as less communal than female raters, although there were exceptions (no differences in instrumental competence, independence, and sociability self-ratings for men and women). Comparisons of self-ratings and ratings of men and women in general indicated that women tended to characterize themselves in more stereotypic terms – as less assertive and less competent in leadership – than they characterized others in their gender group. Men, in contrast, characterized themselves in less stereotypic terms – as more communal. Overall, our results show that a focus on facets of agency and communality can provide deeper insights about stereotype content than a focus on overall agency and communality.

Executive Search Consultants’ Biases Against Women (or Men?)

“…Given the important gatekeeping role of executive search consultants in the hiring process of managers, there could be major implications if these consultants hold the same stereotypes against females as the general population. Until today, gender stereotypes still exist in the general population: Women are seen as more communal, and particularly men characterize women as less agentic than men (Hentschel et al, 2019;Eagly et al, 2020). Furthermore, prejudices against women in leadership positions are still common (e.g., as shown in a German sample using an indirect interview technique that controls for socially desirable responding; Hoffmann and Musch, 2019).…”

#HeToo? Men trivialize cases of sexual harassment by a female aggressor toward a male victim, but women do not

“…A possible explanation for this is that women are less attached to gender roles than men (Brewster & Padavic, 2000;Larsen & Long, 1988), making them more likely to base their evaluations on factors other than just gender. This result could also happen because women see themselves as quite agentic; in certain areas of agency, they evaluate themselves as equally agentic to men (Hentschel et al, 2019), which makes it easier for them to view a woman as an immoral agent and to evaluate her actions appropriately. Moreover, it seems that women are more likely to apply ethics of care rather than justice-based ethical reasoning even though those differences are small (Jaffee & Hyde, 2000).…”

Gendered white lies: Women are given inflated performance feedback compared to men

“…But gender stereotypes are more nuanced than the superordinate dimensions of warmth and competence. Research shows that stereotypes about women's agentic characteristics are particularly complex (Hentschel, Heilman, & Peus, 2019). Women may be perceived as equally competent as men, but also as less assertive (Hentschel et al, 2019) and less likely to be leaders.…”

“…Research shows that stereotypes about women's agentic characteristics are particularly complex (Hentschel, Heilman, & Peus, 2019). Women may be perceived as equally competent as men, but also as less assertive (Hentschel et al, 2019) and less likely to be leaders. They are also perceived as more gullible (Kray, Kennedy, & Van Zant, 2014), and as having lower confidence in performance contexts (Heilman, Lucas, & Kaplow, 1990;Lenney, 1977;Stankov & Lee, 2008).…”