Research Journal Article
Research Journal Article
The general editors of the journal (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) are Eliot R. Smith and Laura A. King
What is the journal's statement about the type of articles and content areas they publish intheir journal?
The journal publishes only original papers in different areas of personality as well as social psychology. It emphasizes on empirical reports but may also include specialized methodological, theoretical and review papers. The journal focuses on social cognition and attitudes and addresses the domains of social behavior where cognition is crucial. Secondly, it also focuses on group processes and interpersonal relations as well as individual differences and personality processes.
Why is a journal like this important to the field of psychology?
The importance of a journal such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in the field of psychology is that it provides research that contributes to the understanding and predictability of social behavior and personality that is important in multiple disciplines such as medicine, business, marketing etc.
What is the title of the article you selected?
The title of the selected journal article is “Evidence That Gendered Wording in Job Advertisements Exists and Sustains Gender Inequality.”
What volume and year did you select?
I selected volume 4, Issue 2 of the year 2011
What questions, problem, or hypothesis does the author want to investigate?
The study hypothesizes that gendered wording such as feminine- and masculine-themed words like those associated with gender stereotypes may be an unacknowledged form of institutional-level inequality maintenance mechanism.
Where was the study conducted?
The study was carried out in the University of Waterloo and Duke University using data from the Department of Labor as well as monster.ca and workopolis.com, two of the leading websites in job searches.
What instruments and techniques were used in the study?
The study involved coding and content analysis using software. This involved collecting a list of occupations which included the proportion of men and women in each work area and selecting 11 jobs that were dominated by males or females and appeared on a category in the two chosen job websites. The technique of coding was then used on 11 selected occupations to obtain gendered wordings. Content analysis was then done using software to give feminine and masculine scores, as a percentage of the total feminine and masculine words used in each.
Who was studied and why?
The messages in job advertisements in Canada’s two-most popular job-search websites were studied to indicate the extent to which they used gendered words. Gendered words are the words associated with males or females. For example, words like individualistic, committed and competitive have been identified as male words while compassionate, understanding, supportive, ambitious, and assertive have been identified as female words. The expectations were that advertisements for male-dominated occupations would contain more male words than female words while advertisements for female-dominated occupations would contain more female words than male words. Secondly, data of the employees in various occupations were also studied. The study aimed at establishing whether there was inequality in gendered wording in job advertisements and whether there was a relationship between gendered wording and inequalities in occupations.
How did the author summarize the findings?
Did the findings turn out as the author expected? Why or why not?
The findings turned out as the researchers had anticipated. This is because the results indicate that masculine wordings in job adverts contribute to a reduced anticipated sense of belonging and job interest among female applicants. The author proposes that this is likely to perpetuate gender inequality in fields that are male-dominated.
Do you agree with the findings? Explain.
I agree with the findings because women are likely to associate and feel comfortable applying for roles where they feel welcome. Male-dominated occupations may be intimidating to women applicants at the entry level. Having masculine words in these adverts is likely to increase the level of apprehension that such applicants may feel towards a particular job.
What do you believe is the significance of this topic and this study?
This study is important because it may lead to an increase in gender-balanced wording in adverts targeting both men and women. As the study shows, inequality in advertisement messages may translate to inequalities in occupations and discourage female applicants from venturing into male-dominated occupations. As indicated by Brannon (2011), achievement motivation may be affected by belongingness, which is the feeling that one belongs to a particular group. This achievement motivation may be signaled by environmental cues such as wordings in advertisements. This study is significantly related to the ideas presented by Linda Brannon in her 11th chapter, School, in the sixth edition of her book Gender: Psychological Perspectives because gendered messaging in job advertisements may affect the achievement motivation element of belongingness.
Summary
The article by Danielle Gaucher, Aaron C. Kay and Justin Friesen published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology hypothesizes that gendered wording which includes feminine- and masculine-themed words similar to those related to gender stereotypes are an unacknowledged kind of institutionalized inequality maintenance mechanism. The findings of the study have implications in a wide range of areas such as in schools and for graduates looking for entry-level jobs. The study is in-keeping with Brannon (2011), who indicates that achievement motivation is related to belongingness. Belongingness may in turn be affected by environmental cues such as gendered wordings on advertisements. The study was conducted using data from the Department of Labor in the United States, as well as monster.ca and workopolis.com, two of the leading websites in job searches. The techniques used for this study were coding and content analysis using computer software. This involved the collection of occupations that were either male-dominated or female-dominated. Coding was then used to obtain masculine and feminine words in job advertisements. Content analysis was then performed on the advertisements to give feminine and masculine scores, as a percentage of the total feminine and masculine words used in each. The study included analysis of the messages in Canada’s two-most popular job-search websites and the data of the employees in the chosen occupations. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a considerable difference in the use of masculine and feminine wordings in job advertisements, and whether there was a relationship between the gendered wording and the inequalities in occupations. The author summarizes the findings by noting that social inequality and divisions of labor may be spread in different ways. Individuals as well as groups bear different ideologies, stereotypes and belief systems which they may use to justify the status quo. Institutional level factors which influence individual preferences and judgments may reinforce inequalities to preserve the existing status quo and group inequalities. The findings were as expected by the author because they indicate a connection between masculine wordings in adverts to a low anticipated sense of belonging and job interest in women applicants. I agree with the findings because highly masculine wording on job adverts is likely to discourage female applicants from pursuing those jobs especially if they are in a male dominated field. The study is important because it is likely to influence the wording of job advertisements and may contribute to a higher level of equality in different occupations.
References
Brannon, L. (2011). Gender: psychological perspectives (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Gaucher, D., Friesen, J., & Kay, A. C. (2011). Evidence That Gendered Wording In Job Advertisements Exists And Sustains Gender Inequality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4(2), 1-20.
