Sexy social media photos disproportionately penalize female candidates' professional outcomes: Evidence of a sexual double standard

Abstract

It has become an increasingly popular practice for decision makers to use information available on candidates' social media accounts to make professional selection decisions (e.g., who is given resources or job offer). The present work examines whether there is a sexual double standard in how candidates' “sexy” social media photos shape professional selection decisions. Although extant evidence for sexual double standards is weak or inconsistent, we obtain strong and robust evidence of a sexual double standard in how sexy social media photos bias professional selection decisions. Across four studies (N = 813), participants evaluated candidates for a desirable scholarship or job position and had access to photographs presumably available on candidates' social media accounts. Participants were presented with either self-sexualized or semi-professional photos of candidates, which had been judged by independent samples as differing on sexiness and seductiveness, but comparable in attractiveness and likability. When participants saw self-sexualized photos (vs. semi-professional photos) of the candidates, they were significantly less likely to choose the female candidate (Study 1a). This sexual double standard was replicated in a Chinese sample (Study 1b), and among individuals with hiring experience (Studies 2–3). The penalty against female candidates occurred specifically for sexy photos, but not for other non-sexual photos unrelated to work (Study 2), and even for candidates with unequivocally strong qualifications (Study 3). The effect of sexy social media photos to disproportionately penalize female candidates' professional outcomes was generalizable across participants of different genders, races, and self-reported endorsement of sexual double standards, as well as across different sets of photo stimuli. Our work has implications for individuals seeking professional advancement and organizations seeking to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.