Exploring the subcategories of stereotypes: Not all mothers are the same

Abstract

Stereotypes of mothers employed outside the home, unemployed at home with their children, and whose work role was unspecified were compared and contrasted. Two hundred and twenty-six randomly assigned university students rated how typical personality traits were of one of the three mothers. While the employed mother was perceived as retaining feminine qualities, she was described as less feminine, more masculine, and generally less desirable than the other mothers. Ratings for the mother with role unspecified paralleled those for the at-home mother, suggesting that she was assumed to be a mother at home rather than a generic or general entity. Implications for projects in which stereotypes of generic individuals have been described or evaluated are discussed.