Sexism Pays

Source: Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash 

Men with sexist views 'earn more'

Men who grow up thinking women should stay at home may be labelled "old-fashioned" - but could end up well ahead in the salary stakes.

A US study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, suggests that they will consistently out-earn more "modern-thinking" men.

On average, this meant an extra $8,500 (£4,722) a year.

One UK psychologist said men inclined to wield power in their relationships might also do this at work.

The study, carried out by researchers at the University of Florida, was conducted on a large scale, with 12,686 men and women interviewed in 1979, when they were aged between 14 and 22, and three times in the following two decades, the last time in 2005.

The researchers asked them whether they believed a woman's place was in the home, or whether the employment of women was likely to lead to higher rates of juvenile delinquency.

Predictably, more men tended to hold these views than women, although the gap has narrowed significantly over time.

However, when the men were asked about their salaries, another gap emerged, with those holding "traditional" views earning significantly more.

Conversely, women who held the opposite view did earn slightly more, on average $1,500 (£833) more than women with "traditional" views.

Dr Timothy Judge, one of the researchers, said: "More traditional people may be seeking to preserve the historical separation of work and domestic roles - our results prove that is, in fact, the case."

Dr Magdalena Zawisza, a psychologist from Winchester University, said that there were a number of theories which might explain the difference.

She said: "It could be that more traditionally-minded men are interested in power, both in terms of access to resources - money in this case - and also in terms of a woman who is submissive.

"Another theory suggests that employers are more likely to promote men who are the sole earner in preference to those who do not - they recognise that they need more support for their families, because they are the breadwinner."

Source: BBC News

Look at the views below. Which of them do/don't you agree with?

• Many of the problems today are because we have generated a society that has engineered it's economy (and attitude) based on mothers going out to work. This is now considered more important than staying at home bringing up their offspring.We are now paying the price for "latch key" children and farming out our children to others.
• They probably wheren't always sexist but with money comes power and of course arrogance. So it's more likely something that has developed over time. Especially if they experience woman only interested in their money and have taken advantage of that to the point where their own view on relationships is flawed.
• From my experience it seems that successful business women tend toward partnering/marrying successful business men. It seems rare that a successful business woman is content to financially support a man who is content to play the role of 'house-husband' bringing up the children. The opposite case is still much more likely to be the norm whatever this survey has or hasn't found.
• Well I am a stay home mum. my husband earns enough for me to enjoy this privilege. Many mothers work to help pay the bills. there is too much pressure on women to work. it's actually quite good for them and their children to stay home. with work you have to juggle your time between housework, work and the family. time off for school plays and sick children is difficult. I love being at home, I get to bring my kids up, not a childminder. kids need their parents to be around and ours are lucky.
• Ah, I see more victim mentality at work here, blaming men and society for the lack of ability that many fail to realise they possess. In a commercial world regardless of creed colour or sex, the person most likely to rise to the top is the one most likely to make the employer the most money. It's very democratic. I accept that most government and civil service workers will always find this unacceptable, but hey, if they were any good they would be working privately. It's just more nonsense.