DOI
10.1080/00224545.2022.2110030
Abstract
Why are women under-represented in the field of economics relative to men? We propose that stereotypes associated with economists contribute to women’s interest in the field. We test the predictions that economists are stereotypically associated with low levels of communion and high levels of agency and that this type of stereotype content is associated with women’s lower interest in the field. In Study 1 (N = 883), stereotypes associated with people in the field of economics were masculine, characterized with low levels of communion and high levels of agency. In Study 2 (N = 182), undergraduate women were less interested than men in majoring in fields that share the same pattern of stereotyping found for economists in Study 1. The results from this study have important implications for increasing young women’s interest and representation in the field of economics.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-9-2022
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2022, Taylor & Francis.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2022.2110030
The definitive version is available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224545.2022.2110030
Recommended Citation
Simon, S., Hoyt, C. L., & Fattorusso, S. (2022). Stereotypic beliefs contribute to gender disparities in the field of economics. The Journal of Social Psychology, 163(2), 145–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2022.2110030
Included in
Gender and Sexuality Commons, Growth and Development Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Macroeconomics Commons, Political Science Commons
