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Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice toward Female Leaders (2002)
| Venue: | Psychological Review |
| Citations: | 294 - 4 self |
BibTeX
@ARTICLE{Eagly02rolecongruity,
author = {Alice H. Eagly and Steven J. Karau},
title = {Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice toward Female Leaders},
journal = {Psychological Review},
year = {2002}
}
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Abstract
A role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders proposes that perceived incongruity between the female gender role and leadership roles leads to 2 forms of prejudice: (a) perceiving women less favorably than men as potential occupants of leadership roles and (b) evaluating behavior that fulfills the prescriptions of a leader role less favorably when it is enacted by a woman. One consequence is that attitudes are less positive toward female than male leaders and potential leaders. Other consequences are that it is more difficult for women to become leaders and to achieve success in leadership roles. Evidence from varied research paradigms substantiates that these consequences occur, especially in situations that heighten perceptions of incongruity between the female gender role and leadership roles. Leadership has been predominantly a male prerogative in cor-porate, political, military, and other sectors of society. Although women have gained increased access to supervisory and middle management positions, they remain quite rare as elite leaders and top executives. To explain this phenomenon, public and scientific discussion has centered on the idea of a “glass ceiling”—a barrier of prejudice and discrimination that excludes women from higher level leadership positions (Federal Glass Ceiling Commission, 1995; Morrison, White, & Van Velsor, 1987). To further this discussion, we advance a theory of prejudice toward female lead-ers and test the theory in relation to available empirical research. This integrative theory builds on social psychologists ’ tradition of studying prejudice and stereotyping and industrial–organizational psychologists ’ tradition of studying perceptions of managerial roles. The popularity of the glass ceiling concept may stem from the rarity of women in major leadership posts, despite the presence of equality or near equality of the sexes on many other indicators. A number of statistics thus suggest equality: In the United States, women make up 46 % of all workers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001b) and 45 % of those in executive, administrative, and managerial occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001a); women possess 51 % of bachelor’s degrees and 45 % of all
Keyphrases
role congruity theory leadership role female leader labor statistic u.s. bureau female gender role managerial occupation many indicator federal glass ceiling commission van velsor male leader middle management position leader role major leadership post scientific discussion glass ceiling concept elite leader potential leader available empirical research male prerogative industrial organizational psychologist tradition top executive potential occupant glass ceiling level leadership position research paradigm social psychologist tradition increased access managerial role bachelor degree integrative theory build united state female lead-ers
