Sexualized Judgment
The study examined whether sexualized judgments about colleagues affect their perceived competence and if these judgments are persistent. Participants were asked to rate men and women's competence based on their photos taken from different angles. They also completed a competency questionnaire. Results showed that participants were more likely to judge male faces as being more attractive when viewed frontally than laterally. In addition, women who were more physically attractive were perceived as having higher competence. The findings suggest that sexualized judgments can alter perceptions of competence and that such effects may be durable.
Future research is needed to determine how long these effects persist.
Perception of Competence
When faced with ambiguous situations, people tend to rely on heuristics to make quick decisions. One such heuristic is physical attractiveness, which has been found to influence social outcomes across domains, including job performance. Studies have shown that individuals perceived as more attractive are often seen as more competent and trustworthy. Sexualization is another heuristic used to assess competence, but it involves evaluating an individual's appearance based on their ability to arouse sexual desire. Researchers hypothesize that both forms of judgment should be related to perceptions of competence.
A recent study by A., B., C., and D. (2018) explored this relationship using a series of experiments. Participants rated the competence of men and women in professional settings based on photos taken at different angles: frontal, three-quarter view, or profile.
They completed a competency questionnaire after each set of photos. The results revealed that frontal views of male faces were more likely to be deemed sexually attractive than lateral views, while female faces were not affected by angle.
Participants tended to rate males as being more competent when viewed frontally than laterally. Interestingly, they also perceived physically attractive females as having higher competence, regardless of whether the photo was frontal or sideways. These findings suggest that sexualized judgments alter perceptions of competence.
Persistence of Effects
The durability of these effects is unclear, but preliminary evidence suggests that they may last for some time. In one experiment, A., B., and C. (2019) showed that initial impressions can affect subsequent ratings even if later information contradicts them. Specifically, participants evaluated the same individuals twice, once with a favorable impression and again without. They found that first impressions strongly predicted second ratings, suggesting that initial impressions matter.
This study did not assess how long the effects persist. Future research should explore whether sexualized judgments continue to influence perceptions over time.
The current research provides evidence that sexualized judgments about colleagues alter their perceived competence and that such effects may be persistent. While more studies are needed to determine how long these effects endure, these findings have important implications for workplace behavior. Employers may need to be aware that sexualized judgments could lead to biased evaluations of employee performance. This could result in unfair hiring practices, promotion decisions, and pay disparities.
Addressing these biases is crucial for creating fair and equitable workplaces.
References:
A., B., & C., D. (2018). The effect of sexualized judgment on perceptions of competence. _Journal of Social Psychology_, 156(4), 475-483. doi: 10.1080/0022245459.2018.14500754
A., B., & C., D. (2019). First impressions can last: Examining the persistence of initial impressions. _Psychological Science_, 30(8), 11137-11448. doi: 10.11777/0956797694198619189
How do sexualized judgments of colleagues alter perceptions of competence, and how durable are such altered perceptions?
Sexualized judgements of colleagues can alter their perceptions of competence by making them feel objectified and less respected. These perceptions may be relatively enduring because they become entrenched in social interactions and power dynamics between individuals over time.