The effect of priming gender roles on women's implicit gender beliefs and career aspirations

Rudman, Laurie A.; Phelan, Julie E.

doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000027

Cited by 252Social and Intergroup PsychologyCareer Development and DiversityGender Roles and Identity Studies

The effect of priming gender roles on women's implicit gender beliefs and career aspirations

Rudman, Laurie A., Phelan, Julie E.·2010·Social Psychology

DOI 10.1027/1864-9335/a000027

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Abstract

We investigated the effect of priming gender roles on women’s implicit gender stereotypes, implicit leadership self-concept, and interest in masculine and feminine careers. Women primed with traditional gender roles (e.g., a male surgeon and a female nurse) showed increased automatic gender stereotypes relative to controls; this effect mediated their reduced interest in masculine occupations. By contrast, exposure to nontraditional roles (e.g., a female surgeon and a male nurse) decreased women’s leadership self-concept and lowered their interest in masculine occupations, suggesting that female vanguards (i.e., successful women in male-dominated careers) can provoke upward comparison threat, rather than inspire self-empowerment. Thus, priming either traditional or nontraditional gender roles can threaten progress toward gender equality, albeit through different mechanisms (stereotypes or self-concept, respectively).

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Learning about counter-stereotypical role models reduced women's leadership self-concept and diminished their interest in traditionally masculine occupations relative to those not exposed to these role models.
“Similarly, learning about counter-stereotypical role models (e.g., a female surgeon or a female business executive) reduced women's leadership self-concept and diminished their interest in traditionally masculine occupations relative to those not exposed to these role models (Rudman & Phelan, 2010).”
From Managing to clear the air: Stereotype threat, women, and leadership (2016) · cites this paper as Rudman & Phelan, 2010

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Authors: Rudman, L. A., & Phelan, J. E.
Affiliations: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
ORCID: Rudman, Laurie A.
Venue: Social Psychology
Publisher: Hogrefe Publishing Group
Published: 2010-01
Volume: 41
Issue: 3
Pages: 192-202
ISSN: 1864-9335 (ISSN-L)
2151-2590
DOI: 10.1027/1864-9335/a000027
OpenAlex: W2102204927
Cited by: 252
References: 64
Citations by year: 2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 7
FWCI: 27.03
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
Keywords: implicit gender stereotypes, career aspirations, gender equality, nontraditional gender roles

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The effect of priming gender roles on women's implicit gender beliefs and career aspirations

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