Think leader, think man? The role of implicit bias, status-legitimizing beliefs, and gender in hospitality leadership discrimination

Abstract

System justification and cognitive dissonance theories were integrated to investigate how social norms influence perceptions of women in leadership by examining perceptions of reverse discrimination and gender hierarchies. To continue the progress of gender equity in hospitality leadership, it is crucial to understand the underlying conditions under which high-status groups may perceive reverse discrimination, leading to animosity in the hiring and promotion processes. Hospitality managers (n = 203) were surveyed to test a double moderator interaction between hotel managers' gender, implicit bias, and status-legitimizing beliefs. Results indicated implicit bias increased perceptions of reverse discrimination. Status-legitimizing beliefs strengthened the relationship between implicit bias and reverse discrimination. Women demonstrated a stronger relationship between implicit bias and reverse discrimination than men. Implications for research and recommendations for hospitality managers are proposed.