Citation

Ward C. Sex Roles 1981; 7(2): 163-171.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF00287802

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Three experiments were undertaken to comment upon the nature of devaluation of women, in general, and, more specifically, to examine the influence of sex and status of the assessor on the differential appraisals of males and females. Utilizing the Goldberg design in separate studies, males and females were asked to read and evaluate a psychological article, half allegedly male authored and half female authored. While there was no tendency for "female" works to be appraised less favorably on quality (style, content, persuasiveness, professionalism, and profundity), there was a marked tendency for males to denigrate the female author per se (status and competence in the field). This was not apparent in women. In a third study, art students and university students critically appraised a modern painting. No obvious devaluation of women was apparent by university students, but art students tended to less favorably appraise works attributed to females. These latter results suggest that the devaluation may be induced by exploitative advantage rather than covert influences of stereotypes.