Modesty in men not good in job interviews

William Atkins
Sunday, 01 August 2010 01:04

Science - Biology

A Rutgers University study has determined that modesty in males being interviewed is not seen positively by both female and male interviewers.

 

The study is described in the July 26, 2010 Rutgers University (Rutgers Today) article 'Rutgers Study Finds Male Modesty a Turn Off for Women (and Men).'

The article compares fictitious characters Superman and Clark Kent, the same man only in two very distinct personas, one outgoing and take charge, and the other reserved and laid-back.

And, the Man of Super-human Powers wins head over heals when compared to the Man of Mild Manners.

Corinne A. Moss-Racusin, a fifth-year social-psychology doctoral candidate in Rutgers University's Department of Psychology, along with graduate fellow Julie E. Phelan and professor Laurie A. Rudman, conducted the study.

The article that summarized their work in found in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity. It is entitled 'When Men Break the Gender Rules: Status Incongruity and Backlash Against Modest Men'.

They state in the abstract to their paper: 'The current research demonstrated backlash in the form of prejudice against modest (i.e., atypical) men and supported predictions derived from the status-incongruity hypothesis (SIH) to account for backlash'¦. Modest men were perceived as violating men's proscriptions linked to low status (e.g., weakness and uncertainty), as well as agentic men's prescriptions linked to high status (e.g., confidence and ambition).'

And, 'By contrast, status-neutral communal traits were not an explanatory factor in backlash. These findings suggest that perceived status violations underscore backlash, pressuring men to conform to masculine norms and stereotypes that limit their human potential.'

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