Deconstructing Bias: Partnership Status Effects on the Motherhood Penalty and Fatherhood Bonus

• In Event: 3481 - Section on Social Psychology Refereed Roundtables (cosponsored with Section on Sociology of Emotions)
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 03. Status and Bias in the Workplace

Abstract

Previous experimental studies established bias mechanisms underlying differential workplace outcomes for working mothers and fathers, known as the motherhood penalty and fatherhood premium. The experimental study reported here advances scholarship by introducing partnership status as a salient characteristic that underlies workplace bias related to gender and parenthood status. I develop and test the argument that partnerships status moderates the relationship between previously found disordinal gender-parenthood interaction and a range of workplace outcomes. The results support my theoretical argument, showing that while the motherhood penalty and fatherhood bonus hold for married applicants, any gendered differences disappear when applicants are known to be single.

Author

• Jurgita Abromaviciute, University of Arizona