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Cited by 244Gender Studies in LanguageDeath Anxiety and Social ExclusionSocial and Intergroup Psychology

When He Doesn’t Mean You : Gender-Exclusive Language as Ostracism

Stout, Jane G., Dasgupta, Nilanjana·2011·Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
DOI 10.1177/0146167211406434
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Abstract

Three studies assessed whether a common cultural practice, namely, the use of gender-exclusive language (e.g., using he to indicate he or she), is experienced as ostracism at the group level by women. Women responded to the use of gender-exclusive language (he) during a mock job interview with a lower sense of belonging, less motivation, and less expected identification with the job compared to others exposed to gender-inclusive (he or she) or gender-neutral ( one) language (Studies 1 and 2). Moreover, the more emotionally disengaged women became over the course of a job interview upon hearing gender-exclusive language, the less motivation and job identification they subsequently reported (Study 3). Together, these studies show that subtle linguistic cues that may seem trivial at face value can signal group-based ostracism and lead members of the ostracized group to self-select out of important professional environments.

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  • Masculine personal pronouns in mock job interviews resulted in lower sense of belonging, motivation, and identification with a job among female participants.

    “masculine personal pronouns in mock job interviews resulted in a lower sense of belonging, motivation and identification with a job among female participants (Stout and Dasgupta, 2011).”

    From What affects people’s use of and attitudes toward gender-inclusive language? A literature review (2025) · cites this paper as Stout and Dasgupta, 2011

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Authors
Stout, J. G., & Dasgupta, N.
Affiliations
University of Massachusetts Amherst (US)
Corresponding author
  • Stout, Jane G.
  • Dasgupta, Nilanjana
ORCID
Venue
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2011-05-10
Volume
37
Issue
6
Pages
757-769
ISSN
  • 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-7433
DOI
10.1177/0146167211406434
OpenAlex
W2115351096
Cited by
244
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 3
FWCI
14.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Studies in Language
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Keywords
ostracism, gender-inclusive language, gender-neutral language, women, job interviews, sense of belonging, job identification, motivation, emotional disengagement, linguistic cues, gender discrimination
MeSH terms
Culture, Female, Humans, Job Application, Language, Male, Nonverbal Communication, Prejudice, Sex Factors, Videotape Recording

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