Biases toward pregnant women in the workplace

The current study investigates reactions toward pregnant women in the workplace. Participants in an online study watched a video of an applicant (depicted as either pregnant or nonpregnant) for a professional development grant. Additionally, the applicant was either portrayed as stereotypically feminine (e.g., high in communality, low in agency), or stereotypically masculine (e.g., high in agency, low in communality). Finally, the applicant was presented as being either a member of a stereotypically masculine department (e.g., Electrical Engineering), or a stereotypically feminine department (e.g., Elementary Education). Results indicate that although pregnant women do not experience more positivity in the workplace, they do experience less negativity. Specifically, pregnant applicants were recipients of less hostile sexism and benevolent sexism than the nonpregnant applicants. Further exploratory analyses indicate that the applicant's personality, and perceptions of the applicants' warmth and competence strongly predicts the level of hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, benevolence, and resource allocation directed at them. Theoretical and practical considerations of these findings are addressed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Sciences

Grantor

Rice University

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Law, Charlie L.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hebl, Michelle R.

• Women's studies
• Industrial psychology
• Industrial sociology
• Labor relations

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1911/22234

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.rice.edu:1911/22234