Architects: Gender-role and hiring decisions

To examine architects' judgments of male and female applicants represented by the information in resumes, 204 architects, 156 men and 48 women, licensed in the state of Connecticut participated in a 2(job level) by 2(sex) between-subjects study. Architects were asked how they would rate applicants' potential (including the decision to hire) and gender-role characteristics judged on the basis of one-page resumes. Architects randomly assigned resumes for one of four evaluation conditions (intern or senior architect; male or female), rated the applicant on seven job-related characteristics, e.g., technical skill, potential for advancement, and completed the Bem Sex-role Inventory as they thought items applied to the applicant. analysis indicated that male architect respondents were more likely to hire male applicants than female applicants as senior architects and that female applicants were judged to be as masculine-typed as were male applicants.