Implicit romantic beliefs predict reduced career ambition in women.

Evidence

A cultural worldview that is largely overlooked concerns romance, a putatively positive ideology for women. Traditionally, romance has idealized femininity, placing women “on a pedestal.” However, it may also teach them (e.g., through romantic fairytales) to depend on men for economic and social rewards. In particular, the romantic idealization of men as chivalric rescuers of women (e.g., Prince Charming) might encourage women to seek their fortune indirectly, through men. If so, romantic fantasies might be negatively linked to women’s interest in personal power. Consistent with this hypothesis, Rudman and Heppen (2003) found that even women who were reluctant to explicitly associate male romantic partners with chivalry (e.g., Prince Charming, White Knight, protector, hero) demonstrated this association implicitly (on the IAT). Furthermore, women who possessed implicit romantic beliefs also showed less interest in personal power, across multiple measures. For example, women with high IAT scores expected to make less income in their careers, and had lower educational goals. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 771 (#expands, via linked claim)

By contrast, women are encouraged to be more modest and self-effacing in romantic situations. If women in performance settings are judged by criteria more suited to romantic roles, female agency may be viewed harshly by men and women alike. As a result, romance may be viewed as a means of achieving power more so for women than it is for men. Thus, although Allport’s view of “prejudice as antipathy” still applies effectively to some types of contemporary prejudices, this view does not adequately encompass basic and prevalent forms of contemporary prejudice and discrimination, including sexism. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 775 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Expecting a Prince Charming splits women’s energies and produces professional inferiority — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 297; Gender nonconformity in work leads women to reject heterosexuality as a draining performance — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1042; Implicit Prince-Charming beliefs predict reduced income expectations and leadership ambitions in women. (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Implicit chivalric romantic ideals reduce women’s career and income ambitions #expands (0.97) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 771
• Romance functions as a power-achievement channel for women because agency is penalized #complicates (0.76) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 775