Understanding Perceptions of Radical and Liberal Feminists: The Nuanced Roles of Warmth and Competence

AbstractIn four studies (N = 1176), we examined whether negativity towards feminists varies based on the specific ideology endorsed: liberal feminism (i.e., the belief that gender equality can be achieved through adequate changes within societies) or radical feminism (i.e., the belief that gender equality can only be ach ieved by reconstructing the whole social system). InStudy 1, college students rated radical female feminists as less warm than liberal female feminists and a control target group (animal rights activists).Study 2 replicated the difference between ratings of radical and liberal feminists with Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers and further demonstrated that male feminist targets were not subject to the negativity associated with radical feminism.Study 3 with MTurk workers found an indirect effect of radical feminism on lower perceived hireability and suitability for a job, due to lower perceived warmth. Lastly, Studies1 and4 with Prolific workers showed that negative evaluations of radical feminists persisted even after controlling for perceived extremity. Together, the findings in this paper demonstrate that radical feminists faced more negative evaluations than other types of feminists, suggesting the importance of considering feminist beliefs when studying the stereotypes associated with feminists in psychological research.
Source: Sex Roles - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research