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Messages about brilliance undermine women's interest in educational and professional opportunities

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, ISSN: 0022-1031, Vol: 76, Page: 404-420
2018
  • 143
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 200
    Captures
  • 3
    Mentions
  • 17
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    143
    • Citation Indexes
      140
    • Policy Citations
      3
      • Policy Citation
        3
  • Captures
    200
  • Mentions
    3
    • News Mentions
      2
      • News
        2
    • Blog Mentions
      1
      • Blog
        1
  • Social Media
    17
    • Shares, Likes & Comments
      17
      • Facebook
        17

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Article Description

Pervasive cultural stereotypes associate brilliance with men, not women. Given these stereotypes, messages suggesting that a career requires brilliance may undermine women's interest. Consistent with this hypothesis, linking success to brilliance lowered women's (but not men's) interest in a range of educational and professional opportunities introduced via hypothetical scenarios (Experiments 1–4). It also led women more than men to expect that they would feel anxious and would not belong (Experiments 2–5). These gender differences were explained in part by women's perception that they are different from the typical person in these contexts (Experiments 5 and 6). In sum, the present research reveals that certain messages—in particular, those suggesting that brilliance is essential to success—may contribute to the gender gaps that are present in many fields.

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