Gender Stereotypes as Structures of Inequality Across Nations

What is the hypothesis that will be investigated? In 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals aimed to end poverty, protect the planet, ensure peace and prosperity by 2030: No poverty Zero hunger Good health and well-being Quality education Gender equality Clean water and sanitation Affordable and clean energy Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation and infrastructure Reduced inequalities Sustainable cities and economies Responsible consumption and production Climate action Life below water Life on land Peace, justice and strong institutions Partnership for the goals These goals are articulated in the context of a number of important outcomes (e.g., poverty, hunger, health, education), and gender equity is a prominent theme across many of them. For example, Goal #1 “No Poverty” includes “addressing the disproportionate impact of poverty on women” among its specific aims. Similarly, Goal #3 “Good Health and Well-Being” aims to present “...a roadmap on how to enhance financing, strengthen policy and improve service on the ground for the most vulnerable women and children.” In our own previous research, we found that nation-level gender stereotypes predicted women’s workforce participation (Goedderz & Calanchini, 2023). Specifically, women were less represented in the workforces – and especially in leadership positions – of nations where residents endorsed traditional gender stereotypes linking men with careers and women with families. Building upon those findings, in the present research we will use the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a conceptual framework to examine the link between nation-level psychological measures of gender bias and nation-level measures of women’s outcomes across a variety of domains. Hypothesis: We predict that nations where residents endorse stronger gender biases will be characterized by worse outcomes for women.