I am sure that many DEI members have seen this posting on the APA (American Psychological Association) Science Spotlight. I am sharing the information for anyone who missed it. I think the information about framing with respect to who "gains" and who "loses" can be helpful.
Power play: How men can feel less threatened by women's gains
Why do men feel more threatened by women's rise to power than their rise in status? In five studies with nearly 3,000 participants, Sonya Mishra, of Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, explored the interplay between gender, power, and status. Building on previous research suggesting that people in historically advantaged groups often view gender and racial equality in zero-sum terms, Mishra found that men perceive more risk of ingroup harm when women gain power (control over resources) compared to status (respect from others). Those perceptions can lead to downstream consequences such as heightened political conservatism and less support for gender-inclusive workplace policies. However, framing women's gains in ways that emphasize fairness and procedural justice may reduce men's perceptions of threat. The findings, published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, provide a foundation for better understanding how to reduce intergroup conflict.
Mishra, S. (2025). What is mine cannot be yours: How zero-sum perceptions of power and status shape men's perceptions of ingroup harm from women's hierarchical advancement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Advance online publication.
https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000496
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Gayle Baugh
University of West Florida
Pensacola FL
(850) 287-1677
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