Gender Traits and Cognitive Appraisal in Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Locus of Control

The present study examined the relationships between masculine and feminine traits, measured using the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), and the way young adults appraise events (i.e., as threats or as challenges). We hypothesized that the locus of control (LOC)—i.e., individuals' perceived control over the events that affect them—mediated these relationships. We tested these assumptions on two student samples from the French-speaking part of Switzerland (N = 123 and N = 504). Regression analyses demonstrated that, as expected, agentic masculine traits were positively related to challenge appraisals, and negatively to threat appraisals. LOC mediated these relationships, but most strongly among female participants. A different pattern was found for femininity. Feminine traits were positively related to increased challenge appraisals, but only in female participants of Sample 2. They were also related, in some cases, to increased threat appraisals. Furthermore, in line with previous research, LOC did not mediate the relationship between feminine traits and cognitive appraisal. Overall, the present results confirm that masculine and feminine stereotypical traits differ in their consequences for the way young adults appraise events in their everyday life

Lack of ambition or lack of support? Diverging career experiences of men and women explain the persistence of gender bias

In this study we explore possible causes for the differential career success of women in academia. We do this by testing the content of organizational narratives about plausible reasons why women are less likely than men to advance in their academic careers, against the self‐reported experiences and career choices of women and men in the organization. We compared content‐coded narratives (N = 84) with quantitative self‐report (N = 661) data. Both data sets were collected around the same time, taking care that different members of the organization contributed to each of these two data sources. First, we report the qualitative data (Study 1). These revealed the organizational narrative about gender differences in academic careers. On the one hand, people in the university acknowledged the sexist treatment of women, but on the other hand, they failed to note that this “chilly climate” might adversely impact the careers of women in the organization. We report the quantitative data in Study 2. This revealed no support for the validity of this narrative, which maintains the pervasive belief that women are less interested in, and prefer to “opt out” from, an academic career. Notably, we found no actual differences between female and male academics in their self‐reported motivations. However, women did report having made more difficult life choices and having received less support from the organization for their careers. Together, these findings reveal blind spots in organizational narratives and point to additional measures that can be taken to ensure equal career opportunities for all employee

On the Protective Role of Identification with a Stigmatized Identity:Promoting Engagement and Discouraging Disengagement Coping Strategies

We examined the mechanisms by which identification with a stigmatized ingroup impacts well-being in stigmatized groups. The first three studies were conducted among gay men and lesbians in Europe and North America. Results support the idea that identification with homosexuals protects well-being by decreasing attempts at self-group distancing. Pursuit of self-group distancing was negatively related to well-being (studies 1 to 3a, N=1055). Other coping strategies were associated with identification but had no relationship with well-being. Identification was positively related to engagement coping strategies, namely, collective action, group affirmation and ingroup support, and negative related to disengagement strategies: ingroup blaming and avoidance of discrimination. A fourth study (study 3b) examined these mechanisms among Black North Americans (N=203). Again, identification was positively related to engagement strategies, and negatively related to disengagement; however, only collective action (positively) predicted well-being. Results are discussed in terms of how the effectiveness of different strategies for coping with stigma will differ depending on qualities of the identities in question and the specifics of the intergroup context

Egalitarianism and Sexual Prejudice: the Role of Ingroup Distinctiveness Motives

The present research examined the hypothesis that heterosexual men's motivation to differentiate their ingroup from gay men moderates the link between egalitarianism and sexual prejudice. In two experiments conducted in Switzerland (N = 74) and Ecuador (N = 104), we assessed heterosexual men's endorsement of egalitarian values and experimentally manipulated scientific evidence supporting or refuting the existence of biological differences between heterosexual and gay men (the biological theory). The main dependent variable was attitude towards homosexuality. As predicted, the interaction between egalitarianism and the biological theory was significant in both experiments, t(67) = 3.18, p = .002, ηp 2 = .13, and t(100) = 2.26, p = .026, ηp 2 = .04, respectively. Egalitarianism increased positive attitudes towards homosexuality only when science supported the existence of biological differences between heterosexual and gay men. We discuss the relevance of this finding to intergroup relation

Genre d’accord, mérite d’abord ? Une analyse des opinions envers les mesures de discrimination positive

Cet ouvrage s’intéresse aux opinions envers les mesures de discrimination positive en faveur de la promotion professionnelle des femmes. Les études présentées ici, menées auprès de cadres, d’employés et d’étudiants, mettent en évidence un lien négatif entre le nombre d’années d’études et l’acceptation des mesures de discrimination positive, notamment l’acceptation des quotas qui favorisent l’appartenance groupale des candidates par rapport à leurs compétences personnelles. Elles mettent en évidence les mécanismes qui génèrent ces opinions: l’orientation à la dominance sociale, l’adhésion aux principes méritocratiques, la reconnaissance de la discrimination subie par les femmes et le sentiment de menace généré par la mise en place des mesures de discrimination positive. Ces études examinent également la vulnérabilité des bénéficiaires des mesures positives et leurs conduites d’auto-handicap. L’auteure met finalement en évidence la contribution de ces études et les implications possibles des résultats pour les décideurs

Foreign language skills and intercultural abilities : Operationalization with a large population

In this paper, we report on a sample of 6,434 young Swiss men, who answered a questionnaire about their foreign language skills and intercultural abilities. The instrument combines well-established as well as novel attitudinal scales. The focus of the paper is on the operationalisation of variables through the Common European Frame of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (MPQ). Preliminary results are also presented, showing a significant relationship between three MPQ dimensions (open-mindedness, cultural empathy and social initiative) and language skills. There was no significant relationship between language skills and the other two dimensions (flexibility, emotional stability). A significant relationship was also found between the nature of respondents' second language and open-mindedness, social initiative, emotional stability, and flexibility

The Queen Bee phenomenon in Academia 15 years after: Does it still exist, and if so, why?

Fifteen years ago, the British Journal of Social Psychology published a set of studies on male and female academics, documenting that female faculty members were more likely than male faculty members to express stereotyped views of women at the beginning of their academic careers (PhD candidates; Ellemers et al., 2004, Br. J. Soc. Psychol., 43, 3). At the same time, the self-descriptions of female faculty members were just as masculine as those of their male colleagues. Ellemers and colleagues (2004, Br. J. Soc. Psychol., 43, 3) referred to this combination of results as indicating the existence of a 'Queen Bee (QB) phenomenon' in academia. The present contribution investigates whether the QB phenomenon is also found among current generations of academics, investigating this in two recent samples of academic professionals (N = 462; N = 339). Our findings demonstrate that the phenomenon first documented in 2004 still exists: Advanced career female academics are more likely than their male counterparts to underestimate the career commitment of women at the beginning of their academic careers. At the same time, both male and female academics at advanced career stages describe themselves in more masculine terms than those at early career stages. We argue this indicates a response pattern in which successful women emulate the masculinity of the work environment. To indicate this, the term 'self-group distancing' might be more appropriate than 'Queen Bee effect'

Gender Traits and Cognitive Appraisal in Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Locus of Control

The present study examined the relationships between masculine and feminine traits, measured using the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), and the way young adults appraise events (i.e., as threats or as challenges). We hypothesized that the locus of control (LOC)—i.e., individuals’ perceived control over the events that affect them—mediated these relationships. We tested these assumptions on two student samples from the French-speaking part of Switzerland (N =123 and N =504). Regression analyses demonstrated that, as expected, agentic masculine traits were positively related to challenge appraisals, and negatively to threat appraisals. LOC mediated these relationships, but most strongly among female participants. A different pattern was found for femininity. Feminine traits were positively related to increased challenge appraisals, but only in female participants of Sample 2. They were also related, in some cases, to increased threat appraisals. Furthermore, in line with previous research, LOC did not mediate the relationship between feminine traits and cognitive appraisal. Overall, the present results confirm that masculine and feminine stereotypical traits differ in their consequences for the way young adults appraise events in their everyday life