Date of Award
2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Honors Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Robert Padgett
Abstract
Stereotypes are pervasive and can significantly influence the way we perceive and evaluate others. When people occupy roles that are not congruent with stereotypes (such as a stay-at-home dad or a female CEO), past research has suggested that they are evaluated more harshly than those in roles that are stereotype-congruent. The present study examined the role of gender stereotypes by asking participants to read a vignette about a college student and their performance in a class. In these vignettes, the student’s major and gender were manipulated such that there were students in gender stereotype-congruent majors (female nursing major, male computer science major) and students in stereotype-incongruent majors (female computer science major, male nursing major). Participants were then asked to evaluate the student’s performance, providing rating of competence, status, and likeability. Analyses revealed that there was no significant effect of stereotype-congruence on evaluations, a finding inconsistent with prior work. This discrepancy is discussed in light of differences in participants’ familiarity with the role and job of the person being evaluated.
Recommended Citation
Kincaid, Kathryn, "Why Can’t a Woman Fail Like a Man? Gender Differences in Perceived Competence Following a Mistake" (2017). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection. 397.
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ugtheses/397