On the psychological barriers to the workplace: When and why metastereotyping undermines employability beliefs of women and ethnic minorities.

Owuamalam, Chuma Kevin; Zagefka, Hanna

Abstract

We investigated the effect of beliefs about how one expects one’s group to be viewed by a dominant outgroup (i.e. meta-stereotypes) on disadvantaged group members’ employability beliefs. Grounded in the research on stereotype threat, we hypothesised that activating negative meta-stereotypes would undermine employability beliefs of members of disadvantaged groups because such beliefs threaten group members’ state self-esteem. In particular, we expected that an effect of negative meta-stereotyping on employability beliefs that is explained by momentary self-doubts would be particularly evident among members whose dispositional self-esteem is high rather than low to begin with. Taken jointly, results from a correlational study (N = 80) and an experimental one (N = 56) supported these hypotheses. The discussion focuses on the implications of our findings for mobility into the workplace among members of disadvantaged groups.

Citation

Owuamalam, C. K., & Zagefka, H. (2014). On the psychological barriers to the workplace: When and why metastereotyping undermines employability beliefs of women and ethnic minorities. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(4), 521-528. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037645

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 24, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Deposit Date: Dec 6, 2023
• Journal: Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
• Print ISSN: 1099-9809
• Electronic ISSN: 1939-0106
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 521-528
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037645
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1983751