TY - JOUR TI - Stereotypes and parenting status DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3RX9F1G PY - 2015 AB - Academic research on parenting status stereotypes has not focused on the childlessby- choice. Two main purposes of my dissertation were to determine the descriptive stereotypes of the childless-by-choice and to probe the possible ramifications of these stereotypes for social perceptions in an employment context. The first purpose was addressed in two studies, one using a free response method, and one using rating scales. Free response results suggested that stereotypes of parents were communal in nature, while stereotypes of the childless-by-choice were agentic. Rating scale results were similar, as mothers were stereotyped as possessing higher levels of female prescriptive traits compared to childless-by-choice women, and parents were perceived as warmer than the childless-by-choice. Furthermore, childless-by-choice women scored higher than mothers in terms of being independent and non-communal, while fathers scored higher than childless-by-choice men on family orientation. To address my second purpose, participants read a vignette depicting a female (Study 3) or male (Study 4) target person who was either childless, childless-by-choice, or a parent, and employed as either a teacher or business consultant. Participants rated targets on attributes drawn from Study 2 and items reflecting prejudice and discriminatory intentions. Results suggested occupation stereotypes superseded certain parental status stereotypes. Furthermore, whereas parents were liked more than the childless-by-choice, parenting status groups did not differ on measures of respect, value as an employee, or deserved salary. The four studies are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications of stereotypes associated with parenting status. KW - Psychology KW - Stereotypes (Social psychology) KW - Parenthood KW - Childlessness LA - eng ER -