Transcript Man-Hating Feminits? PowerPoint

MAN-HATING FEMINISTS?
Feminists and Stereotype Threat:
Attitudes Toward Men
LouAnne B. Hawkins
&
F. Dan Richard
University of North Florida
Stereotype Threat
an individual’s perceived risk of confirming as
self-characteristic a negative stereotype of the
individual’s group (Steele & Aronson, 1995).
Effect of stereotype threat grounded in three principles:
(Aronson, Quinn, and Spencer, 1998)
1. Negative stereotypes threaten self-esteem.
2. Threats to self-esteem affect performance.
The distress and anxiety associated with stigmatization may deter academic
performance (Howard & Hammond, 1985; S. Steele, 1990).
3. Chronic threat results in disidentification from the domain
being assessed.
Individuals who fear they may perform in a way that confirms a stereotype of a
group to which they belong may disengage from the domain in an effort to protect
their self-esteem (Aronson, Blanton, & Cooper, 1995; Major, Spencer, Schmader,
Wolfe, & Crocker, 1998; Steele, 1997).
The concern over being stereotyped may be
particularly powerful for individuals who
identify strongly with a domain that is
central to their self-image and the stereotype.
Women tend to be more vested in feminist
consciousness (Henderson-King & Zhermer, 2003).
Consequences of Stereotype Threat
In an effort to protect their self-esteem, individuals
may disidentify or disengage from the threatened
attribute after continual exposure to a negative
stereotype (see Steele, 1997; Steele & Aronson, 1995).
A Feminist Convention
Problem
The effects of stereotype threat have been welldocumented in academic and sports performance,
but how pervasive are the effects of stereotype
threat. Is it possible that stereotype threat may
effect attitudes as well as performance?
Hypothesis
Feminist participants in the stereotype threat
condition will report more positive attitudes
toward men than will traditional and
moderate participants in the stereotype
threat condition and all participants in the no
threat condition.
Method
 Participants
 105 female undergraduates
 Ranged in age from 18 to 50
(M = 23.57, SD = 6.94).
 White 75%, Black 14%, Hispanic 5%,
Asian 2%, Other 4%
Treated in accordance with American Psychological
Association Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct .
Design
Independent or Predictor Variables:
Conditions:
Feminist Prime
Non-Primed (Control)
Feminism
Criterion Variables:
Attitudes Toward Men
Randomly assigned
Operational Definitions
Feminism
Neosexism Scale
11-item self-report instrument
e.g., “In a fair employment system, men and women
would be considered equal.”
5-point Likert type scale
Higher scores = greater feminism
Attitudes
Toward Men
Attitudes Toward
Men Scale
32-item self-report instrument
e.g. “Most fathers want very much to be close to their
children.”
5-point Likert type scale
Higher scores = more positive attitudes toward men
Results of Planned Contrast Analysis
F(1,95) = 7.48
p < .01
125
123
121
Feminist Prime
119
Non-Primed
Control
117
115
Traditional
Moderate
Feminist
Conclusions
As predicted, feminist participants in the
stereotype threat condition reported more
positive attitudes toward men than did
traditional and moderate participants in the
stereotype threat condition and all
participants in the no threat condition.
Discussion
The effects of stereotype threat have been welldocumented in academic performance. This study
suggests that stereotype threat may influence
reported attitudes as well. Additional research is
needed to determine how pervasive the effects of
stereotype threat may be. If stereotype threat
consistently influences attitudes, certain
individuals or organizations could use stereotype
threat as a means of persuasion.