TY - JOUR
T1 - Seeing the unseen
T2 - Attention to daily encounters with sexism as way to reduce sexist beliefs
AU - Becker, Julia C.
AU - Swim, Janet K.
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article: This research was partly conducted in the context of the DFG Research Training Group “Group-focused enmity” (GRK 884).
PY - 2011/6
Y1 - 2011/6
N2 - Three experiments were conducted in the United States and Germany to test whether women and men endorse sexist beliefs because they are unaware of the prevalence of different types of sexism in their personal lives. Study 1 (N = 120) and Study 2 (N = 83) used daily diaries as a method to encourage individuals "to see the unseen." Results revealed that encouraging women to pay attention to sexism, in comparison to attention to other social interactions, led to a stronger rejection of Modern Sexist, Neosexist, and Benevolent Sexist beliefs (Studies 1 and 2) and to negative evaluations of Modern and Benevolent Sexist men described in profiles as well as to more engagement in collective action on behalf of women (Study 2). In contrast, for men, paying attention to sexism did not have these effects. Results from Study 2 suggest, and from Study 3 (N = 141) confirm, that men's endorsement of Modern and Neosexist beliefs can be reduced if attention to sexism and emotional empathy for the target of discrimination is encouraged. Finally, a follow-up survey indicated that the attitude change in women and men was stable over time. The implications of these findings for interventions to reduce women's versus men's endorsement of sexist beliefs are discussed.
AB - Three experiments were conducted in the United States and Germany to test whether women and men endorse sexist beliefs because they are unaware of the prevalence of different types of sexism in their personal lives. Study 1 (N = 120) and Study 2 (N = 83) used daily diaries as a method to encourage individuals "to see the unseen." Results revealed that encouraging women to pay attention to sexism, in comparison to attention to other social interactions, led to a stronger rejection of Modern Sexist, Neosexist, and Benevolent Sexist beliefs (Studies 1 and 2) and to negative evaluations of Modern and Benevolent Sexist men described in profiles as well as to more engagement in collective action on behalf of women (Study 2). In contrast, for men, paying attention to sexism did not have these effects. Results from Study 2 suggest, and from Study 3 (N = 141) confirm, that men's endorsement of Modern and Neosexist beliefs can be reduced if attention to sexism and emotional empathy for the target of discrimination is encouraged. Finally, a follow-up survey indicated that the attitude change in women and men was stable over time. The implications of these findings for interventions to reduce women's versus men's endorsement of sexist beliefs are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1177/0361684310397509
DO - 10.1177/0361684310397509
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79958091594
SN - 0361-6843
VL - 35
SP - 227
EP - 242
JO - Psychology of Women Quarterly
JF - Psychology of Women Quarterly
IS - 2
ER -