A Social Psychological Study of Women's Career Choice and Gender Gap Maintenance

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K02978
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10010:Social psychology-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Morinaga Yasuko 広島大学, 人間社会科学研究科(教), 教授 (60203999)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 福留 広大 聖カタリナ大学, 人間健康福祉学部, 准教授 (10847841)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ジェンダー / システム正当化 / ジェンダー格差 / 女性のキャリア行動 / 緩和機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Why does Japan's large gender gap persist? In this study, we found a psychological mechanism by which women (the disadvantaged) legitimize the status quo of gender relations, leading to the perception that they are privileged because they are women, and consequently to a high sense of well-being. We also found that legitimation of the status quo has the effect of distorting women's interpretation of discrimination against themselves and their actions in a favorable way. We also found that gender inequalities are perpetuated in two ways: the mere presence of a small number of women in an organization creates the perception that gender equality has been achieved, and attributing discrimination to unconscious bias leads to a lower perception of responsibility.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本の大きなジェンダー格差に関わる要因について，心理学ではこれまであまり検討されてこなかった。本研究では，女性がジェンダー格差を受容するのはなぜなのかを中心に検討し，その心理学的なメカニズムの解明を目指したものである。検討の結果，格差の維持に関与する心理学的要因について有益な示唆が複数得られた。これらは日本においてジェンダー格差を縮小させるための手がかりとなるであろう。