Graduation Year

2022

Date of Submission

12-2021

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Professor Jennifer Feitosa

Abstract

The image of the ‘glass ceiling’ is well entrenched in society, reflecting the difficult reality women face as they make the steep journey up the corporate ladder. In response to the continuing trend of underrepresentation, attention has recently been redirected from the ceiling to instead focus on the ladder itself, specifically the broken bottom rung. This concept describes the promotional patterns of corporate companies in which women are continually overlooked for first-level managerial positions and leadership roles. With 360-degree peer ratings playing a pivotal role in career advancement, the purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of gender in performance evaluations, particularly those characterized by female-to-female peer ratings. The study examines three hypotheses to address the disparity between female allyship in social and professional environments. Participants (N = 160), sourced from graduate psychology classes, rated their peers within project teams against five ITP Metrics measures. Results of the study did not find support for findings of previous studies suggesting females receive harsher ratings than their male counterparts. However, females were found to score higher in process-based skills compared to outcome-based skills, showing support for the expression role congruity theory and gendered skills. These findings provide a foundation for future studies to further explore the relationship dynamics between women when peer evaluations are crucial for career advancement. The intention of this study is to interrupt current assumptions about women in the workplace, urging organizations to perhaps reconsider the weight given to performance appraisals for promotional purposes and instead investigate alternative means of assessment to create more equitable and inclusive professional environments.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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