TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing the Endorsement of Sexism Using Experiential Learning
T2 - The Workshop Activity for Gender Equity Simulation (WAGES)
AU - Zawadzki, Matthew J.
AU - Shields, Stephanie A.
AU - Danube, Cinnamon L.
AU - Swim, Janet K.
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported in part through a grant awarded by (a) the National Science Foundation (Award #0820212), (b) that aims to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers, (c) awarded to Stephanie A. Shields. In-kind support was provided by The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, The Pennsylvania State University.
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - In two multipart studies, we tested the effectiveness of an experiential learning-based intervention (Workshop Activity for Gender Equity Simulation-Academic [WAGES-Academic]) to reduce sexism endorsement. We randomly assigned undergraduates to either WAGES (n = 144) or one of two control conditions (n = 268): one where participants received the same information as WAGES but without experiential learning or another that included an experiential group activity but no gender equity information. WAGES participants (vs. both controls) reported less endorsement of sexist beliefs after completing the activity and/or at a follow-up 7-11 days later as measured by the Modern Sexism (Study 1), Neo-sexism (Study 2), Hostile Sexism (Study 2), and Gender-Specific System Justification (Studies 1 and 2) scales. Both studies demonstrated that these effects were attributable to WAGES providing more information, evoking less reactance, eliciting more empathy, and instilling more self-efficacy compared to the other conditions. Results suggest that programs to reduce sexist beliefs will be successful only insofar as they invite access to discussion in such a way that does not elicit defensive denial of the problem, create a context in which participants are readily able to empathize with other, and instill feelings of self-efficacy that one can address the problem.
AB - In two multipart studies, we tested the effectiveness of an experiential learning-based intervention (Workshop Activity for Gender Equity Simulation-Academic [WAGES-Academic]) to reduce sexism endorsement. We randomly assigned undergraduates to either WAGES (n = 144) or one of two control conditions (n = 268): one where participants received the same information as WAGES but without experiential learning or another that included an experiential group activity but no gender equity information. WAGES participants (vs. both controls) reported less endorsement of sexist beliefs after completing the activity and/or at a follow-up 7-11 days later as measured by the Modern Sexism (Study 1), Neo-sexism (Study 2), Hostile Sexism (Study 2), and Gender-Specific System Justification (Studies 1 and 2) scales. Both studies demonstrated that these effects were attributable to WAGES providing more information, evoking less reactance, eliciting more empathy, and instilling more self-efficacy compared to the other conditions. Results suggest that programs to reduce sexist beliefs will be successful only insofar as they invite access to discussion in such a way that does not elicit defensive denial of the problem, create a context in which participants are readily able to empathize with other, and instill feelings of self-efficacy that one can address the problem.
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U2 - 10.1177/0361684313498573
DO - 10.1177/0361684313498573
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84893623402
SN - 0361-6843
VL - 38
SP - 75
EP - 92
JO - Psychology of Women Quarterly
JF - Psychology of Women Quarterly
IS - 1
ER -