Changing the attitudes and beliefs of an individual who has accepted a traditional view of women is no easy task. As Rosen and Jerdee have pointed out, there are many potential motivations for holding sex stereotypes. They suggest, for example, that past costly experiences with women, perceptions of women as a potential threat, commitment to traditional values, or needs for clarity in our complex world all are reasons for the maintenance of stereotypes and rigid adherence to them. Depending upon which of these (or other) motivations support stereotypic belief systems, the most effective change-strategy would differ.
It also should be remembered that, as Terborg first suggested, sex stereotypes have two separate although often overlapping components. Different dynamics may underlie each, and thus different change processes may be needed to change them. It is conceivable furthermore that both have to be changed if certain forms of sex discrimination are to be eliminated. Even if one’s stereotypes about women’s attributes are altered successfully, and women are viewed as equally competent as men, it may still seem inappropriate for them to take positions of authority. Or conversely, even if one views a position as suitable to a woman, assumptions about her lesser competence can prevent her from obtaining it. At least in some cases, it would be essential to change both normative expectations and stereotypic perceptions of attributes if women are to be treated in an unbiased manner.
For the most part, the programs developed in recent years have been built upon the implicit assumption that the basis of the stereotyping of women is ignorance—ignorance of what women really are like and ignorance of what women’s life experiences are. Consequently, their focus is on raising awareness of stereotypical conceptions and on transferring information about the realities of sex discrimination.
Human-relations training and other workshops dealing with these issues have become common within organizational settings. A host of exercises have been developed for individuals and groups to explore personal and societal prejudices and misconceptions. Techniques such as role-playing have been utilized to encourage men and women to experience the other’s dilemmas. Educational programs have become widespread. To fill in the presumed knowledge gap, facts, theory, and research findings are presented and discussed.
Unfortunately, the effects of these programs are rarely assessed systematically, so no conclusions about their effectiveness can be made. It is likely that such programs are successful only when an individual’s assumptions about women have been sustained as a convenience, or because they simply have never been put to the test. In these cases, forcing people to confront their stereotypes about women and to come to grips with the consequences of them should be sufficient to bring about change. But when stereotyped views are deeply rooted in value systems, such programs are likely to fail. Information by itself has little impact on value-laden convictions.
An incidental but nonetheless important point about implementation should be mentioned. Kanter warns of the consequences of using mixed-sex group techniques in change efforts. The very activities necessary to explore sex stereotypes fully—expressing one’s emotions, being open and honest, being concerned about the welfare of others, and collaborating rather than competing—are those consonant with the stereotypic attributes women are assumed to possess. Although Kanter’s concerns were related to the lack of opportunities for skill development available to women in such groups, the point she raises is no less important when one’s concern is the altering of sex stereotypes. Participation in such groups conceivably can reinforce rather than change men’s images of women, unless care is taken to ensure that women also have the opportunity to display behaviors that contradict and challenge the stereotypes men are likely to have.
Changing individuals’ sex stereotypes can be a very complicated process, and it is likely to be an expensive one. The training and development needed to accomplish such a change, if indeed it can be accomplished, are not realistic in terms of the money and time required.
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