Psychosocial Processes of Discrimination Against Women in the Workplace

Abstract

This work aimed to analyze the influence of stereotypes on discrimination against women. Specifically, it investigated the effects of the candidate gender (man vs. woman), the status regarding parental leave (exercising the right vs. waiving the right), and the stereotypes of competence, sociability, and morality regarding this discrimination. Consistent with previous studies, the candidate gender and the parental leave status interact and together influence discrimination against women (Study 1, F(1, 229)=22.45, p<.001). In turn, the triple interaction of candidate gender, parental leave status, and the three dimensions of stereotypes (Study 2, F4, 587)=2.73, p=.030, ƞ²=.018) revealed that the woman who took parental leave received more positive evaluations in the three stereotypical dimensions, in comparison with to the woman who waived her right to the leave, and, at the same time, she was poorly assessed in the competence dimension, compared to the man who exercises the same right (Study 2, N=312)