Examining the Effects of Different Gender Awareness-Raising Frames on Attitudes Toward Women and Gender Equality

Abstract

According to recent research, the impact of awareness-raising interventions about gender (in)equality depends on how messages are framed. Extending previous work, we conducted an experimental study (N = 1093; 50% women) to examine whether the combination of two frames about gender (in)equality (emphasizing the achievement of gender equality and the persistence of gender inequality) had more positive effects on attitudes toward women and gender equality of women and men than each framing individually. Additionally, we considered the mediating role of identity threat and cognitive unfreezing, and the moderating role of participants’ neosexism and feminist identification. The results showed that the combined frame, compared to the gender inequality persistence-frame, reduced identity threat and improved attitudes toward women and gender equality solely among women. We also found that the combined framing, compared to the equality framing, increased cognitive unfreezing and improved women's and non-sexist men's attitudes toward women and gender equality. However, for non-sexist women, this framing was less beneficial than the inequality framing. In conclusion, the present study highlights the need to examine both the possible mechanisms involved and the gender ideology of individuals whenever interventions targeting gender equality are designed.