(Miami University (OH))
https://blogs.miamioh.edu/social-roles-lab/
A goal congruity perspective on role entry, engagement, & exit
Investigating how people view the goals afforded by social roles can inform understanding of role entry,
engagement, and exit. I will explore women’s lower participation in STEM, relative to men and to other
male-stereotypic fields, through the lens of goal congruity. Gender roles emphasize communal
attributes for women, but STEM fields are consensually perceived as unlikely to afford communal goals.
Activities that disrupt these stereotypic expectations – that is, those that highlight how STEM roles
afford communal goals – yield motivational benefits. I will present data examining cognitive and
behavioral pathways to fostering communal goal opportunities in STEM.
The colloquium will be held in Psychology Building 035.