Effects of Attractiveness and Occupation Type on Attitudes toward Working Women and Men

Abstract

Extending previous research, we analyzed across two preregistered studies (N = 761) the differences in cognitive evaluations, emotional reactions, and behavioral intentions depending on the physical attractiveness (low vs. high) of a potential coworker (woman or men), which applies for a gender-neutral job (Study 1) or a male-typed occupation (Study 2). Studies 1 and 2 showed that attractiveness mainly influenced participants’ attitudes toward female candidates. Pooled analyses confirmed that women’s evaluations at work depended on their physical attractiveness as participants showed less positive attitudes toward less attractive women versus highly attractive women. Occupation also affected the evaluations of competence of women: they were considered more competent when applying for a computer science occupation than for an administrative occupation.