People evaluate women more positively than men overall despite sex discrimination.

Evidence

The clearest challenge to the traditional analysis of prejudice derives from research on sexism, a topic that Allport neglected. Sexism researchers have since documented that women elicit predominantly positive sentiments but are often targets of prejudice. Initial explanations for sex discrimination rested upon the belief that attitudes toward women were negative (see Rudman, ch. 7 this volume), but empirical examination of evaluations of women and men as social groups showed positive attitudes toward women (see review by Eagly & Mladinic, 1994), deriving especially from the communal qualities that people associate with women (e.g., warm, friendly, sensitive). The evaluative edge of women over men appears on standard attitude measures, such as evaluative thermometer ratings or semantic differential ratings of women as a social group, and has been dubbed the women-are-wonderful effect (Eagly & Mladinic, 1994). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 183 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Research on gender attitudes and discrimination has also challenged Allportian assumptions. It has increasingly been shown that while women experience persistent occupational and income discrimination, women in general are liked as much as or more than men (Eagly & Diekman, ch. 2 this volume; Jackman, 1994; Rudman, ch. 7 this volume). In a more generic vein, experiments by Ridgeway (2001) found that, while the resource-rich are more likely to be seen as competent and agentic, the resource-poor are more likely to been seen positively as likeable, considerate, and cooperative (see also Fiske, ch. 3 this volume). Glick and Fiske’s (2001) research on “ambivalent sexism” has shown that attitudes toward women bifurcate into “benevolent” and “hostile” types of sexism, depending on whether the female target follows the traditional, deferential (communal) model or the career-oriented, feminist (agentic) model. Hostility is thus reserved only for those women who defy traditional, discriminatory injunctions (Rudman, ch. 7 this volume). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 661 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Evaluating identical work shows no overall devaluation of women.; Female targets of discrimination are nonetheless liked more than men — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 661; People report liking women more than men, a pro-female bias that persists implicitly (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• People report liking women more than men, a pro-female bias that persists implicitly #corroborates (0.95)
• Women receive positive evaluations yet remain targets of discrimination #corroborates (0.93) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 183
• Female targets of discrimination are nonetheless liked more than men #expands (0.92) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 661
• Benevolent sexism blocks women’s advancement despite appearing favorable. #complicates (0.74) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 776