An Examination of Daily Experiences of Sexism and Reactivity among Women in U.S. Male-Dominated Academic Majors Using Experience Sampling Methodology

This study utilized experience sampling methodology, which involves participants reporting current experiences multiple times per day, to better understand the unique daily experiences of sexism and reac tivity among women in MDMs compared to both men in MDMs and women in gender-neutral majors (GNMs). For 2 weeks, four times a day, 120 U.S. college students (40 women in MDMs, 40 men in MDMs, 40 women in GNMs) were signaled to report sexist events that occurred in the last hour, current attitudes t oward fit with their major, and academic motivation. Although a majority experienced at least one sexist event during the 2 weeks, results indicated that, unexpectedly, women in MDMs did not experience more sexist events around the time they attended a major class compared to the control groups. Wo men in MDMs, however, were more reactive to sexism. During the same hour they reported sexism, women in MDMs (unlike students in control groups) reported lower attitudes toward fit with their major. Results suggest that interventions should focus on creating contextual resources that may help women in MDMs cope with sexism.
Source: Sex Roles - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research