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Gender Bias or Motherhood Disadvantage? Judgments of Blue Collar Mothers and Fathers in the Workplace

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Abstract

The effects of gender, marital, and parental status on judgments of applicants for a blue-collar job were examined. One hundred eighteen undergraduates (72 males, 46 females) at University of Kansas, USA first rated a standard “ideal worker” applicant (single male with no child), followed by a target applicant (who varied on gender, martial and parental status) for a factory worker position. Overall findings demonstrated straightforward gender bias: Female applicants were perceived as warmer, less self-confident, less committed, and most importantly, were less likely than men to be hired. Results suggest the possibility that blue-collar jobs trigger gender bias rather than the more nuanced bias against caregivers or a motherhood penalty.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Room 549, 1415 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Gökçe Güngör & Monica Biernat

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  1. Gökçe Güngör
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  2. Monica Biernat
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Correspondence to Gökçe Güngör.

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Güngör, G., Biernat, M. Gender Bias or Motherhood Disadvantage? Judgments of Blue Collar Mothers and Fathers in the Workplace. Sex Roles 60, 232–246 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9540-1

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