Whose misbehavior is inexcusable—And which one? Job-related discrimination against ethnic minority and majority women

Abstract

Based on the model of intersectional invisibility, we tested the consequences of work-related misbehavior for women of Turkish and German descent (i.e., misbehavior involving mistakes that are stereotypically associated with masculine or feminine traits, eliciting negative evaluations). Across a series of four preregistered experiments (N_s = 746, plus two pre-registered experiments in an Additional Supplement), we investigated evaluations of female targets in a male-typed, highly qualified job context. We focus on exclusion and promotion decisions. A single-paper meta-analysis substantiates findings across samples who have different experiences regarding racism and in personnel selection. Our findings reveal a nuanced picture: Misbehavior associated with stereotypically feminine traits led to more negative consequences for Turkish women than for German women, resulting in more frequent exclusion and less frequent promotion for Turkish women. In contrast, misbehavior associated with stereotypically masculine traits led to more favorable outcomes for Turkish than German women. Thus, revealing a complex relationship between type of misbehavior and ethnicity, we identify leader prototypes as an explanatory mechanism, rather than aversive racism or shifting standards. Results suggest that Turkish women are discriminated against most for showing stereotypically feminine behavior confirming gendered racialized steretoypes, but may experience less backlash when showing counter-stereotypical behavior than German women. We find double standards in evaluations of highly qualified women of Turkish versus German descent, with interactions with the type of misbehavior suggesting complex interplays of gender, ethnicity, and information provided about the individual in career advancement and exclusion.