GENDER GAP IN LEADERSHIP INTEREST: STEREOTYPE INCONGRUITY EXPLANATIONS AND TARGETED RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS
Open Access
Author:
Burke, Vanessa
Graduate Program:
Psychology
Degree:
Master of Science
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
October 04, 2019
Committee Members:
Alicia Ann Grandey, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Samuel Todd Hunter, Committee Member Jessica Lynn Matsick, Committee Member Melvin Michael Mark, Program Head/Chair
Keywords:
Gender Gender Gap Leadership Targeted Recruitment Role Congruity Attraction to Leadership
Abstract:
Despite extensive attention towards understanding the gender gap in leadership, little attention has been given to understanding women’s beliefs in leadership and how they affect application for leadership. The present study investigated gender disparity in interest to apply for leadership positions. Using stereotype incongruence explanations, this study examined how gender differences in beliefs about the self and others serve as mechanisms to explain why women are less likely to apply for leadership than men. Further, this study investigated targeted recruitment practices as a solution for encouraging women to apply for leadership. Results show that stereotype incongruence plays little role in the gender gap in intention to apply. However, targeted recruitment practices aimed at the individual improves the rate at which women apply with similar rates of application for men.
