Graduation Year

2015

Date of Submission

4-2015

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Shana Levin

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2015 Laura E. Campbell

Abstract

This study explores how warmth and competence perceptions affect hireability of a female job candidate. The mixed model of stereotype content identifies warmth and competence as the two basic dimensions of person-perception, and research has shown a compensatory relationship between these two dimensions, especially for women. This study explores this compensatory effect for women in a hiring situation. Two samples, one of college students (n = 301) and another of MTurk participants (n = 256), read a description of a female job candidate of either high or low competence and either high, low, or no mention of warmth, and then rated her hireability. Candidates had the greatest hireability when high in competence, and competence had a greater effect on hireability than warmth. Warmth and competence perceptions were positively related, reflecting a halo effect, such that higher warmth was inferred from higher competence. Implications for hiring decisions of female professionals are discussed.

Comments

  • 2015 CMC Best Thesis Award – Psychology

Share

COinS