A Real Time Social Norms Intervention to Reduce Male Sexism

• Published in: Sex roles 2008-08, Vol.59 (3-4), p.264-273
• Main Authors: Kilmartin, Christopher, Smith, Tempe, Green, Alison, Heinzen, Harriotte, Kuchler, Michael, Kolar, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Behavior Standards; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Beliefs; Biological and medical sciences; College Students; Drinking; Drug Use; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gender Bias; Gender Discrimination; Gender Studies; Health Behavior; Individual Characteristics; Intervention; Males; Medical sciences; Medicine/Public Health; Men; Mental health; Negative Attitudes; Norms; Original Article; Prevention. Health policy. Planification; Psychological Characteristics; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Sexism; Sexual Abuse; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social psychology; Social role. Sex role; Sociology; United States of America
• ISSN: 0360-0025; 1573-2762
• DOI: 10.1007/s11199-008-9446-y

College males’ overestimation of peers’ sexism may result in reluctance to challenge these toxic attitudes. Researchers investigated the power of a brief intervention to correct these cognitive distortions in Southeastern U.S. undergraduate samples of unacquainted ( N  = 65; 86.2% Caucasian) and acquainted males ( N  = 63; 82% Caucasian). Participants first reported selfperceptions of attitudes toward women and then estimated the attitudes of other men present. Intervention participants attended brief presentations that included feedback on discrepancies between actual and perceived norms within their groups. At 3 week follow up, there was a significant decrease in perceptions of peers’ sexism for intervention groups, indicating that a brief intervention may be useful in sexism reduction.