Gender bias in the evaluation of interns in different medical specialties: An archival study

Introduction The field of medicine is characterized by within-field gender segregation: Gender ratios vary systematically by subdisciplines. This segregation might be, in part, due to gender bias in the assessment of women and men medical doctors. Methods We examined whether the assessments, i.e. overall score, department scores and skills scores, interns receive by their superiors during their internship year, vary as a function of their gender and the representation of women in the field. We analyzed an archival data set from a large hospital in Israel which included 3326 assessments that were given to all interns who completed their internship year between 2015 and 2019. Results Women received lower department scores and skills scores in fields with a low (versus high) representation of women. Men received higher scores in fields with a high (versus low) representation of men, yet there was no difference in their skills scores. Conclusions Women are evaluated more negatively in fields with a low representation of women doctors. Similarly, men are evaluated more negatively in fields with a low representation of men, yet this cannot be explained by their skills. This pattern of results might point to a gender bias in assessments. A better understanding of these differences is important as assessments affect interns’ career choices and options

Experimental Studies on State Self-Objectification: A Review and an Integrative Process Model

This paper provides an organizing framework for the experimental research on the effects of state self-objectification on women. We explain why this body of work, which had grown rapidly in the last 20 years, departs from the original formulation of objectification theory (Fredrickson and Roberts, 1997). We compare the different operationalizations of state self-objectification and examine how they map onto its theoretical definition, concluding that the operationalizations have focused mostly on one component of this construct (concerns about one's physical appearance) while neglecting others (adopting a third-person perspective and treating oneself as a dehumanized object). We review the main findings of studies that experimentally induced state self-objectification and examined its affective, motivational, behavioral, cognitive, and physiological outcomes. We note that three core outcomes of this state as specified by objectification theory (safety anxiety, reduced flow experiences, and awareness of internal body states) have hardly been examined so far. Most importantly, we introduce an integrative process model, suggesting that the reported effects are triggered by four different mechanisms: appearance monitoring, experience of discrepancy from appearance standards, stereotype threat, and activation of the “sex object” schema. We propose strategies for distinguishing between these mechanisms and explain the theoretical and practical importance of doing so

Effects of attachment security priming on women’s math performance

IntroductionActivating people’s sense of attachment security can buffer against psychological threats. Here we tested whether security priming can also buffer the adverse effects of stereotype threat among women.MethodThree studies (a pilot study (N = 79 women, 72 men), a laboratory study; N = 474 women, and an online study; N = 827 women) compared security priming to neutral and positive affect priming.ResultsThe pilot study revealed that women exposed to attachment security primes (e.g., the word “love”) had better math performance than women exposed to neutral primes (e.g., “boat”). Men’s math performance did not differ across priming conditions. Study 1 revealed that women showed better math performance in the attachment security priming condition than in the neutral or positive (e.g., “luck”) priming conditions. The effect was observed among women high on math identification. In Study 2, despite an effect of security priming on the manipulation check [higher State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM) security score], security did not buffer stereotype threat effects.DiscussionOur findings provide partial support to the idea that security priming (an interpersonal process) can buffer stereotype threat (an intergroup process). Theoretical and practical implications related to attachment security priming and stereotype threat are discussed

Self-objectification Endorsement Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority People and Its Association with Negative Affect and Substance Use

Objectification theory proposes that women self-objectify as a result of internalizing the male gaze on their bodies. In this case, additional groups that are attracted to men (e.g., gay men and bi/pansexual people) should also present higher levels of self-objectification than those that do not (e.g., lesbian women, heterosexual men, and nonbinary people not attracted to men). We tested this prediction using a large sample of Swiss heterosexual and sexual minority individuals (n = 2,770). We also extended previous work on objectification theory by systematically exploring the association of self-objectification with outcomes especially prevalent among sexual minority people, namely negative affect and substance use and tested whether appearance anxiety mediates these associations. The present study found support for the male gaze hypothesis. People with sexual orientations that reflect attraction toward men, or toward men and other genders, reported higher levels of self-objectification. Self-objectification was also associated with negative affect through appearance anxiety, and directly associated with substance use. We conclude that people with sexual orientations that reflect attraction toward men, or toward men and other genders, are at higher risk of self-objectification and its negative effects