Evaluations of Women in the Workplace: The Influence of Cumulative Effects on Subtle Sexism

Event Center BC

This study examines the evaluations of women in the workplace and the influence of cumulative subtle sexism. Overt forms of sexism, or the explicit and intentional disparate treatment of women in the workplace, have appeared to decline over the last several decades as a result of firm discrimination laws and subsequent social condemnation. While this change has resulted in an increase in opportunities for previously disadvantaged populations, more subtle forms of sexism continue to persist. This new sexism, termed subtle sexism, is classified as intentional or unintentional and usually overlooked due to its having been ingrained into societal norms. Since subtle sexism is harder to identify, its potential for harm is substantial. Some researchers claim instances of subtle sexism have effect sizes too small to do actual harm. However, singular instances that happen repeatedly and over a long period of time, can increase the effect sizes – along with the amount of harm done. That is, those singleevent studies do not take into account real-world contexts. Therefore, the current study aims to address this gap in the literature by exposing participants to a series of video vignettes that contain instances of subtle sexism in order to test its cumulative effects on the evaluations of women in the workplace.