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Contesting gender stereotypes stimulates generalized fairness in the selection of leaders

Leicht, Carola, Randsley de Moura, Georgina, Crisp, Richard J. (2014) Contesting gender stereotypes stimulates generalized fairness in the selection of leaders. Leadership Quarterly, 25 (5). pp. 1025-1039. ISSN 1048-9843. E-ISSN 1873-3409. (doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.05.001) (KAR id:41464)

Abstract

Exposure to counter-stereotypic gender role models (e.g., a woman engineer) has been shown to successfully reduce the application of biased gender stereotypes. We tested the hypothesis that such efforts may more generally lessen the application of stereotypic knowledge in other (non-gendered) domains. Specifically, based on the notion that counter-stereotypes can stimulate a lesser reliance on heuristic thinking, we predicted that contesting gender stereotypes would eliminate a more general group prototypicality bias in the selection of leaders. Three studies supported this hypothesis. After exposing participants to a counter-stereotypic gender role model, group prototypicality no longer predicted leadership evaluation and selection. We discuss the implications of these findings for groups and organizations seeking to capitalize on the benefits of an increasingly diverse workforce.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.05.001
Uncontrolled keywords: Leadership; Group prototypicality; Gender role model; Counter-stereotypes
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Department of Leadership and Management
Depositing User: Georgina Randsley de Moura
Date Deposited: 18 Jun 2014 12:15 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2022 23:22 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/41464 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Leicht, Carola.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4117-1215
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Randsley de Moura, Georgina.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6285-6128
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
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