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The effect of bias on the advancement of working mothers: Disentangling legitimate concerns from inaccurate stereotypes as predictors of advancement in academe

Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program at George Mason University, eking6{at}gmu.edu

Drawing from social role theory, it is theorized that stereotypes about working mothers will drive biased perceptions about their attitudes toward work and family that will partially account for the `maternal wall'. Survey responses from a sample of 166 junior faculty members with children and 93 of their senior colleagues suggested that parent gender influences superiors' ratings of junior faculty's work involvement, commitment, and flexibility. Moreover, after accounting for self-reports of these attitudes, senior colleagues' ratings partially explained the relationship between parent gender and advancement. Thus, this research provides evidence of maternal bias by demonstrating gender differences in perceptions of work—family attitudes that influence success.

Key Words: academic careers • career advancement • flexibility • gender in organizations • organizational commitment • social psychology

Human Relations, Vol. 61, No. 12, 1677-1711 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0018726708098082


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