gender | SPSP

Gender and Conversation: Why are Women More “In Synch” Than Men?

Recent research shows that women are more physically “in synch” during conversations than men are.

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The Appeal of Sexism to the Romantically Insecure

Emotionally distant men in romantic relationships tend to have greater beliefs that women are manipulative and power-hungry.

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Stereotypes in Space: How Vertical Location Can Transmit Gender Stereotypes

The arrangement of pictures on a magazine page can affect people’s stereotypes about women and men.

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Failure of Female Role Models Affects Beliefs about Women More Generally

Illustration of woman falling off pedastal

Role models are not superhuman, and they sometimes fail. Although we might accept their imperfections, we do not expect that other people will treat them the same.

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Psychology News Roundup: ICYMI August 16, 2019

Cabbage rolls, water bottles, and disappointment: See what you may have missed in the world of personality and social psychology in this week's ICYMI roundup.

Recently in the news, written a post, or have selections you'd like us to consider? Email us, use the hashtag #SPSPblog, or tweet us directly @spspnews.

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When Women Thrive in Male-Dominated Workplaces

Hardworking female construction worker looking over blueprints on pad

Women who work in traditional male fields can thrive when they are fully valued and respected by their organization and their male colleagues.

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Masculinity: Toxic or Tenuous?

Photo of a depressed man sitting in a tunnel

Research on gender roles reveals a curious sense in which men are the “weaker sex.” Many men seem to live in a chronic state of insecurity about whether they are “real men.”

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Michelle Obama is Taller than Barack Obama

Why might a woman be told she did a “great job” at work yet be passed over for raises or a promotion? She may have been the victim of shifting standards.

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Misperceptions of Masculinity & Femininity Drive Biased Estimates of Preferences for Household Distribution of Labor

In 1980, the wealthiest 10% of households owned 68% of the total US wealth. In 2007, the wealthiest 10% controlled 73% of the wealth. Similarly, in the 1970s, the average woman earned about 60% of what the average man would typically earn. Fortunately, the gender income gap has decreased since the 1970s, with women earning about 80% of that typically earned by men. Unfortunately, the gender income gap has hit a plateau that started in 2005 (Stanford Center On Poverty & Inequality, 2011).

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Gender Diversity Alone Is Not Enough

Image of a business man and business woman interviewing a woman at a table

Today, women are more likely to hold positions of power than they were decades ago. However, female leaders tend to be put under a microscope, facing more scrutiny than their male counterparts.

For example, Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo, was blamed for the many missteps in the company. As a young woman and a CEO, her social role as a woman and as a CEO may have been in conflict.

This conflict is not unique to Mayer, or even CEOs. Women in positions of power are assumed to immediately help other women come to power—but is that assumption true?

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