Women and Men in Conflicting Social Roles: Implications from Social Psychological Research

Abstract

Despite legislation for gender equality in many nations, gender discrimination continues to be a problem. Psychological research from social role theory, the stereotype content model, and ambivalent sexism provide insights into the motivations behind gender inequality. This article reviews key research findings from these theoretical perspectives in the realm of gendered occupational inequalities and segregation. The emphasis of the article is on individuals fulfilling social roles that are perceived as conflicting and the consequences of those perceptions. Parents in the workforce, female leaders, and male nurses are used as specific examples of social role conflict. The policy implications from this research—and the issues facing parents in the workforce, female leaders, and male nurses in particular—are discussed.

Are You Man Enough to be a Nurse? The Impact of Ambivalent Sexism and Role Congruity on Perceptions of Men and Women in Nursing Advertisements

“…Moreover, hostile sexism (but not benevolent sexism) uniquely predicted tolerance for wife abuse among male and female undergraduates and community members in Turkey and Brazil . It is possible that these sexist ideologies may also underlie some of the barriers that men in nursing face as there are clear gender hierarchies in health care that men in nursing may be seen as violating (see Clow and Ricciardelli 2011).…”

“…Although these theories were developed to address gender prejudice and discrimination targeting women, they appear equally applicable to the gender prejudice and discrimination experienced by men in female dominated professions (see Clow and Ricciardelli 2011), such as the issues reported by many male nurses internationally (the research cited in this paper comes from a wide variety of countries and samples; efforts have been made to indicate these details when a study is first mentioned). For example, male nurses in Taiwan have reported that they have to constantly reassure patients and visitors that they are "real" nurses (Yang et al 2004); men have faced historical systemic discrimination in nursing programs and hospitals in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom (Evans 2004); and male nursing students in Canada and the United States (and possibly elsewhere) face more stigma, ridicule, and barriers when pursuing nursing education than do their female counterparts (Bartfay and Bartfay 2007;O'Lynn 2004).…”

“…Men have been reported to comprise less than approximately 10 % of all nurses in countries such as Australia, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom (O'Lynn and Tranbarger 2007;Romem and Anson 2005;Yang et al 2004). As nurses currently tend to be women worldwide, this gendered division of labor in health care may encourage the development of stereotypes suggesting that there is something inherent in a woman that is necessary for being a nurse (see Clow and Ricciardelli 2011). In Hong Kong, male and female nursing students rated the typical Chinese nurse as very similar to the typical female in Chinese society (Holroyd et al 2002).…”

“…Eagly and Mitchell (2004) explained that as "people observe men engaging in assertive, task-oriented activities such as those involved in being a foreman or business executive … [they will] infer from these behaviors that men possess agentic characteristics" (p. 190). Thus, gender stereotypes of women as communal and warm and men as agentic and competent arise, not from biological differences between men and women, but from observing men and women in particular roles and assuming that they have personalities that make each gender particularly suited for those roles (Clow and Ricciardelli 2011;Eagly et al 2000;Fiske et al 2002).…”

Liderança feminina: O estado da arte nas publicações brasileiras

“…Dentre as explicações para este lento movimento, segundo alguns autores (CLOW & RICCIARDELLI, 2011;ENGEN, LEEDEN & WILLEMSEN, 2001;EAGLY & JOHNSON, 1990), está ainda a existência da discriminação e do preconceito quanto às características tidas como femininas. Segundo estes autores, a mulher é vista como sensível, solícita, compreensiva e simpática enquanto os homens têm como estereótipo ser mais decisivos, competentes, racionais, assertivos, agressivos, independentes, enérgicos, dominantes e autossuficientes.…”