Sex-Role Egalitarianism as a Moderator Variable in Decision-Making: Two Validity Studies

Abstract

Two validity studies tested the proposition that the extent to which a decision-maker holds a sex-role egalitarian attitude moderates the tendency to evaluate males and females differentially. In Study 1, 109 undergraduate students evaluated the qualifications of male or female applicants for stereotypically male or female jobs. In Study 2, another 109 undergraduate students expressed agreement! disagreement with decisions made by a committee; decision outcomes were varied to favor males, females, or neither. In both studies, participants were also administered the Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale. Study I results indicated the predicted three-way interaction between egalitarianism, applicant sex, and job type for qualifications ratings. Study 2 results consistently demonstrated the moderating effect of egalitarian attitude across repeated measures of the dependent variable.