Gender and Double Standards in the Assessment of Job Applicants

Abstract

This study tests hypotheses on the use of gender-based double standards in the assessment of task competence. The design involves the examination of files of applicants for engineering jobs, and recreates several features of a hiring decision. The critical choice to be made by each subject was between a male and a female applicant with average but slightly different academic records. In one experimental condition the man held the better record; in the other, the situation was reversed. Results for male subjects show that when the male candidate and more suitable, than when the female candidate was in that position. Female subjects, on the other hand, did not show any differences regarding sex of applicant. This sex of subject effect is examined in detail. A discussion of the paper's theoretical and methodological contributions to the study of ability is also included