STUDY: Vegans are perceived as less suitable for jobs stereotypically associated with masculinity
The findings are consistent with previous research on gender stereotypes and expectations. Previous research has shown that being vegan can affect how people are perceived in various contexts, including social relationships and professional settings.
LAURA STALOCH: Revealing you are vegan can hurt your job prospects, especially if the job is perceived as more masculine, according to new research. The study was published in the Journal of Social Psychology.
Veganism is a lifestyle and dietary choice that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, with more people adopting plant-based diets for ethical, environmental, or health reasons. However, vegans are often subject to negative stereotypes and discrimination. Previous research has shown that being vegan can affect how people are perceived in various contexts, including social relationships and professional settings.
In their new study, researchers Dominika Adamczyk and Dominika Maison aimed to investigate the impact of veganism on a person’s perception in the context of job applications and how this varies based on gender and job type. The research team hypothesized that when males report they are vegan, they will be seen as more competent, and when females do the same, they will be seen as warmer.
Additionally, they proposed that when vegans apply for work that is seen as very “manly,” they will be seen as less competent, and the opposite will be true when they apply for jobs seen as more feminine. This phenomenon will be reversed when the candidate is female.
The study was conducted online using a representative sample of 838 Polish adults… The research team chose Poland as their research site because it is one of the most conservative countries in Europe regarding veganism. Eurostat data from 2019 shows that only 1% of Poles identify as vegans or vegetarians. This made Poland an ideal location for studying how veganism affects a person’s perception.
The results revealed that being vegan significantly impacted how potential employers perceived candidates. Vegan candidates were rated as less suitable for jobs stereotypically associated with masculinity, such as CEO or construction worker, but more suitable for jobs stereotypically associated with femininity, such as kindergarten teacher or nurse.
This effect was stronger for male candidates than for female candidates. Additionally, vegan candidates were perceived as less competent than non-vegan candidates. Gender also affected how candidates were perceived; female candidates were rated as more suitable for stereotypically feminine jobs than male candidates.
The authors suggest that these findings are consistent with previous research on gender stereotypes and expectations. In many cultures, meat consumption is associated with masculinity and strength, while plant-based diets are seen as feminine or weak. This may explain why vegan candidates were perceived as less suitable for stereotypically masculine jobs, such as CEO or construction worker. On the other hand, veganism may be seen as an asset in jobs stereotypically associated with femininity, such as kindergarten teacher or nurse. SOURCE…
RELATED VIDEOS: