Social perceptions tied to stereotyping remain a strong contributor to women's experiences, particularly in the workplace. Emotion stereotypes, working in tandem with gendered-racial stereotypes, have been shown to be an important factor in workplace experiences. However, findings on the specific effects of emotional expression have been inconsistent based on the emotions investigated, women's identity characteristics, and workplace contexts. The present project investigated the contributions of race, organizational status, and emotional expression on perceptions of working women across three studies conducted in 2023. Study 1 experimentally investigated the role of organizational status and emotional expression on perceptions of a woman's competence and perceived emotional appropriateness. Study 2 replicated Study 1's methodologically while also experimentally manipulating the race of the woman exposed to participants. Study 3 used qualitative interviewing to investigate woman leaders' experiences with emotions in the workplace. Multi-level modeling for Studies 1 and 2 revealed that participants harbor a strong preference for women displaying neutral emotions, regardless of women's racial identity or power level. In alignment with these results, through reflexive thematic analysis, I identified that the woman leaders in Study 3 face discouragement around their emotional expression. However, they continue to perform various forms of emotional labor, as well as leverage individual emotions to accomplish their goals. Findings can guide future investigations into these stereotypes' influence on workplace interactions and refine our understanding of perceptions that can contribute to inequitable workplace experiences.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc2332638 |
Date | 05 1900 |
Creators | Briggs, Madasen Renae |
Contributors | Slavish, Danica, Flores Niemann, Yolanda, Jones, Martinque K., Uanhoro, James |
Publisher | University of North Texas |
Source Sets | University of North Texas |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
Format | Text |
Rights | Public, Briggs, Madasen Renae, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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