Development of a model to predict sexist behaviors considering personal and situational variables

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Julia Christina Becker
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: from 2010 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 189424770

The research project has been very successful, so far. We designed a model to predict sexist behavior, which fills a central gap in sexism research. First, we demonstrated that explicit (but not implicit) benevolent sexist attitudes can predict benevolent sexist behavior, whereas explicit (but not implicit) hostile sexist attitudes predict hostile sexist behavior. We also wanted to examine -double dissociation-. That is, we tested whether implicit attitudes predict spontaneous sexist behavior, whereas explicit attitudes predict deliberate sexist behavior. However, we did not find evidence for double dissociation in our studies. In the renewal proposal, we suggest to test this hypothesis using a new paradigm. Second, we found evidence that the expression of sexist behaviors is moderated by the situation variables target person, locations, passively experienced processes and interpersonal associates. We slightly modified the project due to important comments of the DFG-reviewers. As a third, additional focus, we added research on confronting sexist behaviors. Optimal ways of responding towards sexist behaviors were investigated in two studies. We demonstrated that women and men prefer non-aggressive forms of confrontation (in comparison to aggressive confrontation), however they prefer all forms of confrontation in comparison to the absence of any response (e.g., self-silencing to sexism). So far, two manuscripts of the project have been published; two additional manuscripts are under review (one is -preliminary accepted-, the other one invited for a revision). After a project duration of 24 months, important research questions have arisen that build on the prior work. Therefore we apply for a renewal of the project for further 24 months. The renewal proposal has three main objectives. First, we aim to examine the -double dissociation- hypothesis with an improved paradigm in two studies. Second, we aim to complete the research regarding the role of the situational context in predicting sexist behaviors. For this purpose, we plan to conduct a further study and to write a manuscript. Third, we plan to continue the research of optimal ways to respond to sexism and introduce a cross-cultural comparison. We are expecting that the results which we have found in Germany are not applicable to collectivistic cultures (e.g., the Asian context). Since the establishment of harmony in groups is crucial in collectivistic countries, we expect that the absence of a reaction (e.g., self-silencing to sexism) is preferred to all kinds of confrontation of sexist behavior. Our research could thereby show that culture plays an important role in the perception and confrontation of sexist behavior.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Manuela Barreto