Read on Twitter
New research finds that romantic passes from university teachers lead to lower academic identification and self-esteem, especially among women students who are less sure of their academic credentials. A thread [1/15]
![New research finds that romantic passes from university teachers lead to lower academic identification and self-esteem, especially among women students who are less sure of their academic credentials. A thread [1/15]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EatkvyZXQAA_Ypy.png "New research finds that romantic passes from university teachers lead to lower academic identification and self-esteem, especially among women students who are less sure of their academic credentials. A thread [1/15]")
Alexandra Laird and Emily Pronin recruited students on the Princeton University campus and for three survey experiments, each with ~100 participants. The compensation was candy and an entry into a lottery for $200. [2/15]
Students read a vignette (picture below) about a scenario where they received positive feedback from a professor whom they admired and who specialized in their field of interest. Some were randomly assigned the last sentence, where the professor suggests a date. [3/15]
![Students read a vignette (picture below) about a scenario where they received positive feedback from a professor whom they admired and who specialized in their field of interest. Some were randomly assigned the last sentence, where the professor suggests a date. [3/15]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EatlsnDWkAMCIaC.png "Students read a vignette (picture below) about a scenario where they received positive feedback from a professor whom they admired and who specialized in their field of interest. Some were randomly assigned the last sentence, where the professor suggests a date. [3/15]")
When the vignette contained the date invitation, students reported much lower academic identification, and the impact was larger for female students (see table). Academic Identification was measured as perceived abilities and interest in the field (see picture). [4/15]
![When the vignette contained the date invitation, students reported much lower academic identification, and the impact was larger for female students (see table). Academic Identification was measured as perceived abilities and interest in the field (see picture). [4/15]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EatmS0_XsAQZrLZ.png "When the vignette contained the date invitation, students reported much lower academic identification, and the impact was larger for female students (see table). Academic Identification was measured as perceived abilities and interest in the field (see picture). [4/15]")
![When the vignette contained the date invitation, students reported much lower academic identification, and the impact was larger for female students (see table). Academic Identification was measured as perceived abilities and interest in the field (see picture). [4/15]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EatmaTQWoAc_YoI.png "When the vignette contained the date invitation, students reported much lower academic identification, and the impact was larger for female students (see table). Academic Identification was measured as perceived abilities and interest in the field (see picture). [4/15]")
In Experiment 1, female students always imagined passes from male professors and vice versa. This was relaxed in Experiment 2. Result: female students responded more negatively than male students to the romantic pass, regardless of the professor’s gender. [5/15]
Experiment 3 manipulated participants’ sentiments about their academic fitness for the imagined research field. In the “Doubt Condition”, students were instructed to think about “an academic subject that you feel you are not as good at as you would like to be”…. [6/15]
… and in the “Affirmation Condition” they were told to pick a subject they were “especially good at.” The results show no gender difference in the reaction to the romantic pass in the Affirmative Condition, while women react (much) more in the Doubt Condition (see table). [7/15]
![… and in the “Affirmation Condition” they were told to pick a subject they were “especially good at.” The results show no gender difference in the reaction to the romantic pass in the Affirmative Condition, while women react (much) more in the Doubt Condition (see table). [7/15]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EatnVdoWsAA6YEa.png "… and in the “Affirmation Condition” they were told to pick a subject they were “especially good at.” The results show no gender difference in the reaction to the romantic pass in the Affirmative Condition, while women react (much) more in the Doubt Condition (see table). [7/15]")
The third experiment used a full, 20-item State Self-Esteem Scale rather than a shorter version used Experiment 1. With this measure, there was some negative impact on self-esteem, especially for female students in the Doubt Condition. [8/15]
The paper discusses policy: “the trend toward banning expressions of sexual interest by professors/instructors toward students should be continued", and "bans should extend [...] to gestures that would convey sexual interest without meeting the criteria for harassment.“ [9/15]
Reading this paper reminded me of conference dinners where seniors have commented on my attempts at academic conversation with “Why are you overly serious and so focused on research!? Let’s talk about something fun instead!” *wink wink*. Not a great feeling... [10/15]
It also reminded me of third-party remarks about women students at academic events: “So-and-so [male professor] brought his Ph.D. student and she got A LOT of attention, let me tell you that! Haha”. [11/15]
In terms of future work, the authors contemplate how to study young men and women who start out on new jobs and interact with supervisors or mentors in their firm. I look forward to seeing this work! [12/15]
To me, this paper is important for understanding barriers to gender integration in the labor market. A feeling of identification with a job is, I think, important to career investments and/or to understand drops in investments around life events such as e.g. parenthood. [13/15]
We know from previous surveys in the labor market that non-harassing sexual advances, like harassing ones, are more common workplace gender minorities (here in survey data for 1,223 ppl in Los Angeles in Gutek et al. 1990, Academy of Management Journal) [14/15]
Interpersonal (mis)treatment in the workplace and/or in education should continue to be a focus when we research gender segregation and careers. [15/15].
Tagging some people who I suspect might have an interest in this discussion @JaminSpeer @yoko_okuyama @hnmansour @JaminSpeer @OlgaStoddard @EmilyNix100 @annahsandberg @uZoelitz @jrpjrpjrp @aalto_am @SandraHkansson4
... forgot to attach the table with the correlation between opposite-sex people at work and harassing and non-harassing sexual behavior, but here it is:
