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

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.