In Business / January 2006
Cleavage and Careers
According to a study published in the latest issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly, a sexy look damages the perception of women in managerial positions, but not those in lower status jobs.
Past research has shown that physical attractiveness helps people get ahead. But in further examination, researchers found that a sexy self-presentation, associated with high-heels, tight skirts and low-cut blouses, harmed rather than helped businesswomen. However, they found the negative effect was limited to women in high status positions.
The sexy style of dress was viewed as inappropriate for both managers and receptionists, but it was only the managers dressing in that manner that evoked hostile emotions and who were deemed less intelligent. “A female manager whose appearance emphasized her sexiness elicited less positive emotions, more negative emotions, and perceptions of less competence on a subjective rating scale and less intelligence on an objective scale,” the authors state.
Male and female participants were shown a video of a businesswoman discussing her general background and hobbies. The scripts and actress remained the same, but her dress and job changed. The sexiness manipulation had no effect on judgments of or emotions toward the receptionist.
In contrast, the sexy manager was viewed as less competent as compared to her neutrally attired and more typically professionally dressed counterpart wearing flat shoes, slacks, and a turtleneck.
Participants rated the woman on her competence, and estimated her GPA and how selective her Alma Mater was. “Although various media directed toward women…encourage women to emphasize their sex appeal, our results suggest that women in high status occupations may have to resist this siren call to obtain the respect of their co-workers,” the authors conclude.
The study was published in the December issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly, which publishes primarily qualitative and quantitative research with substantive and theoretical merit, along with critical reviews, theoretical articles, and invited book reviews related to the psychology of women and gender. It is published on behalf of the Society for the Psychology of Women, Division 35 of the American Psychological Association.
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Femme Fair 2006
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