Social Class Job Discrimination

JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND PSYCHOLOGY Volume 2, No. 2, Winter 1987

A N I N V E S T I G A T I O N OF G E N D E R BIAS IN THE J O B E V A L U A T I O N P R O C E S S Jeffrey S. Hornsby
Ball State University

Philip G. Benson
New Mexico State University

Brien N. Smith
Auburn University

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the potential impact of gender segregation of jobs on evaluation bias in judgments of the relative worth of those jobs. Four job descriptions were selected which were ambiguous as to gender mix; these were artificially labeled as predominantly male or predominantly female. In addition, two clearly gender-stereotyped jobs (clerk, mechanic) were included, and were labeled as predominantly female and male, respectively. Another job (juvenile probation officer) was included as relatively gender neutral. Finally, a matron or jailer job description was included; these job descriptions were identical except for gender-based pronouns. For the four gender-ambiguous jobs, no evaluation bias was found, which is consistent with previous research. For the less artificial matron/jailer manipulation, however, evaluation bias was found. Finally, for the mechanic job some evidence was found to suggest evaluation bias based on the gender of the job evaluator. Results are discussed in terms of appropriate manipulations for studies of gender bias in job evaluations.
I n r e c e n t y e a r s , t h e idea of c o m p a r a b l e w o r t h h a s b e c o m e a controv e r s i a l issue (e.g., L i v e r n a s h , 1980; T r e i m a n & H a r t m a n n , 1981). Propon e n t s of c o m p a r a b l e w o r t h cite t h e m a l e to f e m a l e e a r n i n g s gap as evidence t h a t p a y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n exists a g a i n s t w o m e n . T h e i r r e a s o n i n g is t h a t jobs of c o m p a r a b l e w o r t h or v a l u e to t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n a r e p a i d differe n t i a l l y on t h e b a s i s of t h e g e n d e r of t y p i c a l job i n c

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