Science = South Asian? Examining Stereotyping and Perceived Employability of South Asian Women and Men

Past research has established the existence and negative consequences of gender stereotypes in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Far less is known about the existence and impact of racial stereotypes in STEM, particularly as they interact with gender stereotypes for racial minority women. To address this gap, in the current research I examined science stereotyping of South Asian people, who belong to a rapidly growing ethnic minority group in North America that has been largely excluded from past research. Across five studies, I adopted a multimethod approach, using implicit, indirect, and explicit measures to examine race and gender stereotypes, as well as stereotyping at the intersection of both identities, with a focus on South Asian versus White male and female targets. Across implicit and explicit measures, and with both racially diverse and race specific (South Asian/White; Study 2a) samples, I found evidence of both race (Studies 1a and 1b) and gender (Studies 2a, 2b, 3) stereotyping in STEM, with science being more associated with South Asian (versus White) and male (versus female) targets. The only exception was when South Asian women were paired with White men; in this case evidence was more mixed, as responses consistent with both gender (Study 1b, 2b, 3) and race (Study 2b) stereotyping was found on the implicit measures. The current research also examined the role of science stereotypes in employment recommendations (the indirect measure). Across all studies, targets of South Asian descent were viewed more positively in scientific domains, suggesting the potential for a positive employment bias in these fields. However, in line with compartmentalization models of intersectional stereotyping, perceptions of South Asian men were often more positive than of South Asian women, and this was true across implicit, indirect, and explicit measures. Taken together, these findings suggest that the unique combination of race and gender stereotypes South Asian women face can be context dependent, especially when compared to the experiences of South Asian men, White men, or White women. This research reinforces the need to examine gender and racial stereotyping from an intersectional perspective.