Professor Wendy Heller along with 58 women psychologists, who are faculty members in Psychology and Neuroscience and related Departments across North America and Australia, have published an article on "The Future of Women in Psychological Science" in Perspectives on Psychological Science. In the article, they argue that Psychology has made important strides with regards to gender parity in the last few decades. Women now outnumber men in undergraduate and graduate training and are as likely to receive Assistant professor positions, grants, and promotion when they apply as are men. Yet these positive data points exist alongside remaining disparities: Women are less likely than men to apply for Assistant Professorships and grants, and are less likely to publish and to have their papers cited. Women remain underrepresented at senior faculty levels, are paid less than men at equivalent levels, and are less eminent in the field and on the world stage. Structural factors related to gendered caregiving roles put women at a disadvantage professionally and women still face some forms of bias as researchers, teachers, and colleagues. Stereotypes about competitiveness, self-promotion, and who “counts” as a brilliant scientist may even affect women’s self-perceptions and behavior. The authors argue that awareness of how far we’ve come--and how much further we have to go--is necessary to chart a path forward for future women psychologists. Click here for an infographic summarizing their findings.
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