Overlooking Sexism: How Diversity Structures Shape Women's Perceptions of Discrimination

Abstract

Two experiments test the hypothesis that the mere presence (vs. absence) of diversity structures makes it more difficult for women to detect sexism. In Experiment 1, women who learned that a company required diversity training for managers thought the company was more procedurally just for women and was less likely to have discriminated against a female employee compared to women who learned the company offered general non-diversity related training for managers. Experiment 2 used a similar design, but also gave women evidence that the company had indeed discriminated against women in hiring practices. Again, compared to the control condition, women who learned that the company offered diversity training believed the company was more procedurally just for women, which led them to be less supportive of sexism related litigation against the company. To the extent that diversity structures legitimize the fairness of organizations, they may also make it more difficult for members of underrepresented groups to detect and remedy discrimination.