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The following article, Olsson, M. & Martiny, S.E. (2018). Does exposure to counterstereotypical role models influence girls' and women's gender stereotypes and career choices? A review of social psychological research. Frontiers in Psychology , can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02264 . ; Gender roles are formed in early childhood and continue to influence behavior through adolescence and adulthood, including the choice of academic majors and careers. In many countries, men are underrepresented in communal roles in health care, elementary education, and domestic functions (HEED fields, Croft et al., 2015), whereas women are underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields (Beede et al., 2011) and top leadership positions (Leopold et al., 2016). Theories focusing on the development of gender roles suggest that across the lifespan people perceive certain roles to be more or less appropriate for their gender (e.g., Gender Schema Theory, Martin and Halverson, 1981; Social Role Theory, Eagly and Wood, 2011). Specifically, researchers have postulated that observing same-sex role models triggers learning processes whereby observers internalize gender-stereotypical knowledge of roles and act accordingly, which results in gender-congruent aspirations and behavior. It seems reasonable that if observing men and women in gender congruent roles fosters gender-congruent aspirations and behavior, then frequently observing gender-incongruent role models (e.g., male kindergarten teachers or female scientists and leaders) should reduce gender stereotyping and promote gender-counterstereotypical aspirations and behavior. In many countries, governments and societal decision-makers have formed initiatives based on the idea that exposure to gender-counterstereotypical role models influences aspirations and career choices among children, adolescents, and young adults. The present review gives an overview of research-based interventions involving observing or interacting with counterstereotypical role models, particularly focusing on outcomes for girls and women. Extending earlier reviews, we summarize laboratory-based and field-based studies and then critically discuss and integrate the findings in order to provide an overall picture of how counterstereotypical role models shape observers' occupational aspirations and academic choices in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. We conclude by outlining suggestions for future research and briefly discussing implications for future interventions.

Abstract. How immigrants define their ethnicity and nationality is relevant for integration: They can identify with their ethnic group, the receiving society, and a combination of both. A longitudinal study with elementary-school children with migration background ( N = 200; age 9–10) in Germany investigated the predictors and stability of ethnic and national identities. Ethnic identity was more highly endorsed than national identity. National and dual identities were compatible (i.e., positively related), whereas ethnic identity was compartmentalized (i.e., unrelated to national and dual identities). Contact with Germans predicted national identity over time, but not vice versa. Thus, the study contributes to a better understanding of multiple social identities of young ethnic minority children in light of social psychological theories of social identity development.

We examined the interplay of social identity threat and group-based self-esteem on the motivation to use two identity management strategies, namely social competition and individual mobility. Following social identity theory, we postulated that threatened high group-based self-esteem leads to an increased motivation to use competitive identity management strategies. Furthermore, following realistic conflict theory and the rejection–identification model, we hypothesized that threat might reduce the desire for individual mobility among group members low in group-based self-esteem. Results of Study 1 ( N = 67), Study 2 ( N = 109), and Study 3 ( N = 101) supported these hypotheses. The results showed that threat leads to the motivation to show social competition for group members high in group-based self-esteem and that for group members low in group-based self-esteem threat decreases the motivation to leave the group. The results are discussed in relation to recent theories of intergroup relations.

Abstract
Older employees are not only confronted with subtle negative stereotypes about cognitive decline, but they also tend to internalize these negative stereotypes (i.e., they agree with the idea that intellectual performance declines in old age and they feel affected by this decline). Previous research has shown that internalizing negative age stereotypes has detrimental effects on work-related outcomes. Little is known about how internalized negative stereotypes shape older employees' social emotions and social motivation. In the present research, we argue that older adults who internalize negative age stereotypes feel insecure about their belongingness in the workplace and this has negative motivational consequences. Four out of five studies and an aggregate analysis with a total of N = 1,306 older employees (age 50–76 years) supported this hypothesis. Internalized age stereotypes were negatively related to social approach motivation toward coworkers through reduced sense of belonging in the workplace and low positive affect. In addition, internalized age stereotypes were positively related to social avoidance motivation. Investigations of the causality of these relationships revealed mixed results. We discuss these findings from the perspective of socioemotional aging and the need to belong. In sum, the present research adds to knowledge on the role of internalized negative stereotypes for older employees' social lives and, potentially, their success in the work domain.

Abstract: Past research has shown that the socioeconomic status (e.g., income or education) is associated with people's self-evaluation, such as global self-esteem. In the present research, we argue that socioeconomic status also affects people's belief of possessing the same rights as others (i.e., self-respect). In a cross-sectional study ( N = 298) and a longitudinal study ( N = 379), we investigated the relationships between income and education with three forms of self-regard. The only consistent finding was that income was related to self-respect over time even when controlling for self-love and self-competence, the core and well-studied components of global self-esteem. We discuss the significance of our findings with regard to social justice and democracy.

AbstractStigmatized individuals often feel threatened by negative stereotypes about their group. Previous research showed that concerns about being negatively stereotyped (i.e., social identity threat) have detrimental effects on performance in the stereotyped domain. Little research has focused on interpersonal consequences of negative stereotypes, despite their essential role for integration of stigmatized groups like immigrants. The current work examines the relations of social identity threat with sense of belonging and social approach motivation in immigrant university students, and the moderating effect of ethnic and national identity. Two studies with immigrant university students in Norway (total sample N = 252) showed that concerns about being negatively stereotyped at university were negatively associated with immigrant students' sense of belonging to university which in turn related to lower social approach motivation toward other students. Further, social approach motivation predicted students' behavioral intentions to approach social events. There was also first evidence for a moderating effect of ethnic and national identity on the relationship between social identity threat and sense of belonging. Practical implications for immigrants' societal and educational integration are discussed.

Abstract. In many countries, there is a gap in academic performance between native-born students and students with certain immigrant backgrounds. Based on ultimate attribution error theory, we examined the stereotypes and causal attributions that German student teachers use to account for immigrants' underperformance. By including both Turkish-origin and Italian-origin migrants, we assessed whether these judgments are group-specific. A pilot study (N = 70) showed that Turkish-origin migrants were viewed more negatively than either Germans or Italian-origin migrants. Studies 1 (N = 65) and 2 (N = 54) showed that negative stereotypes moderated judgments of internal responsibility for both immigrant groups. Study 2 also showed that negative stereotypes moderated external attributions for the underperformance of Turkish-origin, but not Italian-origin, migrants.

AbstractObjectiveThe goal was to investigate whether and how the well‐being of mothers and fathers was differentially affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic in four European countries and whether differences in stress and social support explain observed gender differences.BackgroundPrevious research documents that the COVID‐19 pandemic had a significant impact on many people's lives and that some groups, such as women and parents, were affected more negatively than others. This study investigates potential underlying mechanisms and protective factors.MethodIn November 2020, 448 parents (218 fathers and 230 mothers, Mage = 41.18, SD = 8.47) from four European countries (Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom) completed an online questionnaire. Parents of elementary schoolchildren reported their stress, well‐being, and social support currently and retrospectively for the first lockdown (spring 2020).ResultsMothers experienced lower well‐being than fathers during the pandemic, and parental well‐being differed between countries. In addition, the stress caused by the need to combine paid work and child care partly mediated the relationship between gender and well‐being, and social support played a protective role by buffering individuals from the negative impact of stress on well‐being.ConclusionThe study allows a more differentiated perspective on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on parental well‐being in Europe.ImplicationsResults suggest in future health‐related crises, policymakers and practitioners working with families should focus on providing additional support to mothers of young children to maintain their well‐being.

Men sometimes withdraw support for gender equality movements when their higher gender status is threatened. Here, we expand the focus of this phenomenon by examining it cross-culturally, to test if both individual- and country-level variables predict men's collective action intentions to support gender equality. We tested a model in which men's zero-sum beliefs about gender predict reduced collective action intentions via an increase in hostile sexism. Because country-level gender equality may threaten men's higher gender status, we also examined whether the path from zero-sum beliefs to collective action intentions was stronger in countries higher in gender equality. Multilevel modeling on 6,734 men from 42 countries supported the individual-level mediation model, but found no evidence of moderation by country-level gender equality. Both country-level gender equality and individual-level zero-sum thinking independently predicted reductions in men's willingness to act collectively for gender equality.

Men sometimes withdraw support for gender equality movements when their higher gender status is threatened. Here, we expand the focus of this phenomenon by examining it cross-culturally, to test if both individual- and country-level variables predict men's collective action intentions to support gender equality. We tested a model in which men's zero-sum beliefs about gender predict reduced collective action intentions via an increase in hostile sexism. Because country-level gender equality may threaten men's higher gender status, we also examined whether the path from zero-sum beliefs to collective action intentions was stronger in countries higher in gender equality. Multilevel modeling on 6,734 men from 42 countries supported the individual-level mediation model, but found no evidence of moderation by country-level gender equality. Both country-level gender equality and individual-level zero-sum thinking independently predicted reductions in men's willingness to act collectively for gender equality.