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Gender Prototypes Hinder Bystander Intervention in Women's Sexual Harassment.
Rebecca Schachtman1, Jonathan Gallegos1, Cheryl R Kaiser1
1University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|October 21, 2023
Summary
Bystander intervention for sexual harassment is less likely when victims are non-prototypical women. This research highlights a bias affecting intervention efforts for women deviating from gender stereotypes.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Gender Studies
- Sexual Harassment Research
Background:
- Bystander intervention is crucial for addressing sexual harassment.
- Gender prototypes influence perceptions of victims and potential intervention.
- Non-prototypical women may face unique challenges in receiving bystander support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if bystanders intervene less in sexual harassment cases involving non-prototypical women compared to prototypical women.
- To examine the impact of gender prototypes on intervention thresholds.
- To identify potential biases in bystander intervention for sexual harassment.
Main Methods:
- Four preregistered experiments involving 1,270 American participants.
- Participants observed simulated sexual harassment scenarios targeting prototypical or non-prototypical women.
- Intervention thresholds were measured based on participants' decisions to stop the harassment.
Main Results:
- A meta-analysis revealed a significantly higher threshold for bystander intervention when the victim was a non-prototypical woman.
- This effect, while small, was statistically meaningful, indicating a bias against non-prototypical individuals.
- Intervention rates differed based on whether the woman aligned with traditional gender prototypes.
Conclusions:
- Bystander intervention efforts must acknowledge and address the neglect of non-prototypical women in sexual harassment situations.
- Current interventions may inadvertently overlook or undervalue the experiences of women who do not fit traditional gender stereotypes.
- Future strategies should aim to broaden the scope of support for all victims of sexual harassment, regardless of their conformity to prototypes.
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