Is it a White Motherhood Penalty?: Perceptions of Mothers in the Professional Workplace by Race

• In Event: 525 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Paper Session. Work and Family Intersections

Abstract

White mothers incur the greatest wage penalty relative both to men and mothers of other races, which, scholars argue, is partly attributable to biased perceptions of white mothers in the workplace. Experimental research shows that mothers are indeed perceived as less competent and less committed than their male and non-mother counterparts, yet racial variation is largely ignored. Most research on perceptions of mothers at work is focused on whites and does not assess how they compare to mothers of other racial groups, leaving unanswered questions about the universality of mothers’ “perceptual penalty.” The current study uses data from a vignette experiment based on a nationally representative sample of employed adults to examine how the performance and reward expectations of a job applicant vary by her race (African-American, Latino, Asian, and white) and motherhood status, including level of involvement with children. Results parallel patterns documented in the earnings literature. White mothers, especially white mothers identified as being “highly involved” with their children, were evaluated least favorably in terms of performance and reward expectations. In contrast, Asian mothers were privileged relative to other mothers in both domains.

Author

• Kathleen E. Denny, Trinity University