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Centre for Societies and Groups
STEM, gender stereotypes, company brand image, diversity statements
Research subgroup: Applied Social Change Hub
According to WISE (2023) Report 56% of people in senior roles consider gender diversity in STEM a top three priority for their company. However, women still consist about 29% of STEM workforce (gove.uk, 2023). One way of addressing it is for companies to attract gender minoritized candidates through diversity statements. This method of increasing gender equality is however under-researched and it’s not clear if it would alienate the gender majority.
This PhD project will aim to investigate how companies can use diversity statements and other diversity cues in job adverts and/or on their websites to attract more gender minoritized candidates (e.g. women in STEM). Content analyses show that job adverts are gender stereotypical and that this alienates gender minoritized candidates: When the wording of the ad uses even subtly masculine language response rate from female candidates is lower (Gaucher et al, 2011). Company diversity statements directly address such gender biases and hence may improve company brand perception and the job attractiveness for the underrepresented.
Reportedly companies are perceived similarly to people (Kervyn et al., 2012) and the most successful people are seen as both warm and competent – the ‘golden quadrant’ of social perception (Fiske at el., 2002; Aaker et al, 2012). Will injection of warmth in the form of a diversity statement shift the company’s brand perception closer to the ‘golden quadrant’? More importantly, will it make the company more attractive to gender marginalised candidates? What types of cues are most effective and why? Do personal differences affect candidate’s responses?
This project will test these possibilities and aim to provide further support for an extension of the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske et al., 2002) to company brand image context. It building on my previous work in the field of gendered advertising (Zawisza & Pittard, 2015, Zawisza-Riley, 2019).
This PhD project will use quantitative methods of investigation relying heavily on online experimentation (e.g. using Qualtrics or Gorilla). It will require development of experimental materials such as bogus jobs ads and or company websites (e.g. with Google Sites) with company diversity statements and cues. It will measurement of outcome variables pertaining to job attractiveness and brand image.
This project is self-funded.
Details of studentships for which funding is available are selected by a competitive process and are advertised on our jobs website as they become available.
If you wish to be considered for this project, you will need to apply for our Psychology PhD. In the section of the application form entitled 'Outline research proposal', please quote the above title and include a research proposal.
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