2012 West BuildingBlocksBias
The article reports an experimental study investigating how the gender composition of small work groups influences members’ intragroup evaluations. One hundred ten graduate students were randomly placed into 22 five‑person teams that performed a male‑typed Lego construction task. The proportion of women in each team (ranging from two to four women) served as the independent variable. Objective performance (number of model rejections) was measured, as were subjective ratings of each member’s task contribution, overall group effectiveness, and willingness to work with the same team again (the latter assessed ten weeks later). Results showed no effect of gender composition on objective performance. However, as the proportion of women increased, all members—regardless of gender—rated each other’s contributions lower, judged the group as less effective, and expressed less interest in future collaboration. These negative judgments were not moderated by the gender of the target or the perceiver, indicating that gender stereotypes about women’s competence “leak” onto men in female‑dominated groups (stigma‑by‑association) and/or that the group’s gender makeup becomes a salient, negatively valued category that colors all evaluations. The authors discuss the implications for gender diversity initiatives, suggesting that increasing the proportion of women in task‑focused groups may unintentionally diminish intragroup perceptions and willingness to collaborate, and they outline two possible mechanisms—interpersonal stigma‑by‑association versus group‑level stereotyping—each with distinct remedial strategies. Future research directions include observing actual group processes, testing boundary conditions (task sex‑typing, outcome interdependence, status), and extending findings to other socially stereotyped group contexts.
Topics
Research Motivation: Gender Stereotypes in Workgroup Evaluations
The authors frame the study within literature showing that gender stereotypes bias perceptions of women’s competence and that gender‑diverse groups are often judged as less effective.
Core Hypotheses: Proportion‑Female Effects on Intragroup Judgments
Two competing mechanisms are proposed: (1) stigma‑by‑association causing men to be judged negatively in female‑dominated groups, and (2) group‑level stereotyping where the gender composition itself lowers evaluations of all members.
Methodology: Experimental Manipulation of Gender Composition
110 graduate students were randomly assigned to 22 five‑person teams with varying numbers of women (2‑4). Teams completed a male‑typed Lego construction task; objective performance and multiple subjective ratings were collected immediately and at a 10‑week follow‑up.
Key Finding 1: No Impact of Gender Composition on Objective Performance
Statistical analysis showed that the proportion of women did not predict the number of model rejections, confirming the expectation that performance is unaffected by gender makeup.
Interpretation: Stigma‑by‑Association vs. Group‑Level Stereotyping
The authors discuss how both interpersonal (stigma‑by‑association) and collective (group‑level) mechanisms could explain the uniform negative evaluations, noting distinct intervention implications.
Future Research Directions
Proposed avenues include observing real‑world group processes, testing boundary conditions (task sex‑typing, outcome dependence, status), and extending the paradigm to other stereotyped group contexts.