Is it just me, or was that sexist? The role of sexism type and perpetrator race in identifying sexism

ABSTRACT

Despite sexism occurring frequently, people often do not identify it as such. Using a vignette design, the current project explored whether sexism was identified at a different rate and intensity depending on the specific form of sexism enacted (hostile or benevolently sexist behavior) and race (Black or White) of the man perpetrating sexist behaviors. When a Black man engaged in a benevolently (paternalistic) sexist behavior he was perceived as more sexist than a White man. However, White and Black men were perceived similarly when they engaged in a hostile (overtly negative and derogatory) sexist behavior. Overall, female participants identified sexism more often and viewed it as more sexist than male participants did, especially in the context of benevolent sexism. These findings suggest there are significant effects of perceiver gender and perpetrator race in the perception of sexism. This demonstrates the importance of examining both race- and gender-based discrimination together.

KEYWORDS:

• Prejudice
• Sexism
• Racism
• Women
• Men
• Young Adult

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data described in this article are openly available in the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/3a56j/

Open Scholarship

This article has earned the Center for Open science badges for Open Materials through Open Practices Disclosure. The materials are openly accessible at https://osf.io/3a56j/

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mackenzie S. Kirkman

Mackenzie S. Kirkman, M.S., is working toward earning her Ph.D. at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Her research interests include prejudice, sexism, racism, and sexual coercion.

Debra L. Oswald

Debra L. Oswald is a Professor of Psychology at Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. She completed her Ph.D. in social psychology and a post doctoral fellowship in quantitative psychology. Her research focuses on issues of stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and sexism.