Gender at Work Across Nations: Men and Women Working in Male-Dominated and Female-Dominated Occupations are Differentially Associated with Agency and Communion

Abstract

Occupational gender segregation is a worldwide phenomenon. Research from Western regions such as the United States and Europe shows that the observation of occupational gender segregation can perpetuate gender stereotypes (social role theory; men are ascribed agentic traits, whereas women are ascribed communal traits). However, predictions from social role theory have not been well‐tested in non‐Western nations. In a study with 1,918 participants from 10 nations systematically differing in gender inequality, we investigated the extent to which target men and women in gender‐segregated occupations are associated with stereotype‐relevant traits. Results showed that 12 preselected occupations were perceived as gender‐segregated in all nations. In line with social role theory, across nations, target men and women in male‐dominated occupations were associated with agentic traits, whereas targets in female‐dominated occupations were associated with communal traits. Targets’ gender, but not national‐level gender inequality, moderated these results. The relevance of cross‐national research for understanding gender stereotypes and pathways to reduce gender inequality are discussed.