Gender based occupational stereotypes: New behaviors, old attitudes

Gender role stereotypes stem from ingrained cultural and social attitudes toward traditionally masculine and feminine roles. People judge whether certain occupations are more suitable for men or for women based on occupational stereotypes of what a job requires and gender stereotypes regarding characteristics perceived to be gender-specific. This study used implicit and explicit measures to empirically examine stereotypical judgments about the perceived masculinity and femininity of engineers, elementary school teachers, accountants, law enforcement officers, and fashion designers. Results indicate the presence of gender-based stereotypes, and gender and age were found to be significant predictors. Workplace implications are discussed in an effort to understand why such stereotypes continue to influence career selection, hiring and promotion practices, and performance evaluations despite numerous efforts to promote gender equality in the workplace.