Explicit and implicit beliefs about discrimination on the basis of sex

Abstract

Introduction: Worldwide, discrimination against women remains pervasive, affecting women's rights, resources, and opportunities. Research indicates that people generally recognize that women experience discrimination. A limitation of current research on beliefs about discrimination against women is that it has predominantly relied on explicit measures, which are susceptible to social desirability biases. To date, only one study has employed both implicit and explicit measures to assess beliefs about discrimination on the basis of sex. This study found that women were more strongly associated with discrimination than men on both types of measures, and that these measures were positively correlated. Building on this prior research, the current study examined sociodemographic and ideological predictors of implicit and explicit beliefs about sex-based discrimination. In addition, drawing on ambivalent sexism theory, it investigated whether different forms of sexism—hostile, benevolent, and shift sexism—function as mechanisms linking these predictors to such beliefs. Methods: Participants (N = 290; 50% female) were recruited via Project Implicit. They completed implicit (i.e., the Target/Perpetrator Brief-Implicit Association Test) and explicit measures of discrimination beliefs; measures of hostile, benevolent, and shift sexism, social-dominance orientation, religiosity, and political affiliation; and a demographic questionnaire. Results: Women were associated with being targets of discrimination in both explicit and implicit measures; this association, however, was weaker in implicit measures. The sociodemographic and ideological factors predicted implicit and explicit beliefs with this relationship being mediated by the endorsement of sexism. Individuals who were male, religious, politically conservative, or high in social dominance orientation reported greater levels of both hostile and benevolent sexism. Hostile sexism, in turn, predicted weaker implicit and explicit beliefs about women being discriminated against. In contrast, benevolent sexism was associated with stronger explicit—but not implicit–beliefs that women face discrimination. Discussion: These findings highlight the value of using both explicit and implicit measures when studying beliefs about discrimination on the basis of sex and their social and ideological correlates.