Every few years, new legislation and political agendas bring the gender wage gap to the forefront of the national consciousness.
It seems that every political figure has a spin on the pay gap and that most information offered in the media is based on ideology and not fact.
So what’s the real story with the gender pay gap? It is most assuredly real.
Depending upon which estimates you believe, white women make anywhere from 70 to 80 cents of every white man’s dollar. Depending upon which estimates you believe, white women make anywhere from 70 to 80 cents of every white man’s dollar.
The statistics for women of color are even worse. Even when statisticians account for personal characteristics, decisions about family/work balance, and negotiation skills, the wage gap is still 75 to 85 cents on the dollar.
In an era where overt sexist discrimination is anathema and in which no one will admit to paying women less than men, what could be causing this? Psychologists can offer several explanations, each of which plays a role.
Overt Discrimination
Overt discrimination is the practice of simply paying a woman less money because she is a woman. Most people think of this as the primary cause of any wage gap, but in reality it is probably the least common. More subtle, unconscious forms of discrimination are more typically at play.
This doesn’t mean overt discrimination never happens. In several studies, a strong majority of women questioned report at least one instance of overtly sexist treatment while on the job.
In male-dominated companies, women may be paid less then men as a matter of practice, particularly if salaries are not public knowledge and women have no ability to fight pay inequities.
Sexism in Marriage
Despite making great strides in professional careers, women are still the primary caretakers of their children in the majority of households. When women are single, or when husbands refuse to complete their fair share of work, women have less time to devote to their careers.
Consequently, they may not receive promotion as quickly or they may have their hours cut back at work, resulting in reduced pay.
While this is not the result of overt discrimination on the job, it is a result of pervasive societal sexism. Employers who offer daycare programs and telework options have smaller male/female pay gaps than companies that do not offer these options.
Subtle Biases
In study after study, people who claim to be nonsexist have demonstrated that they harbor subtle biases against women. They may believe, for example, that all women want to be mothers, or that women are innately less competent, or that women tend to become emotional too quickly.
These subtle biases can influence hiring and salary decisions even among the most feminist-minded of companies. A supervisor, for example, may assume that a pregnant woman does not intend to return to work — even without ever asking her — and therefore opt to give a promotion to someone else.
Gender Socialization
From an early age, women are socialized to play a nurturing role. Girl children are treated differently from boys from the moment they are born. Parents are more likely, for example, to characterize a screaming female baby as afraid and a screaming male infant as angry or assertive.
These subtle influences affect decision-making and ultimately can affect skills. When girls are not encouraged to play with blocks or trucks, they are less likely to be attracted to high-paying engineering, science, and math jobs. Similarly, when girls' emotions are perceived as a sign of weakness, they are more likely to begin seeing themselves as weak, decreasing their ability to negotiate promotions and salary increases.
Sexual Harassment
As many as 90 percent of women have experienced at least one instance of workplace sexual harassment. Sexual harassment decreases productivity and can, over time, result in lower pay and weakened negotiation skills.
In some companies, sexual harassment is a double-edged sword. Women who ignore or laugh at it are viewed as passive and likable but do not get salary increases. Women who fight it are viewed as unlikable and also do not get salary increases.
The recently proposed Paycheck Fairness Act was rejected by the Senate last week. Although it would have been a good start, a wage gap law is simply insufficient to remedy all wage gap issues in the United States.
Sexism in pay is caused not only by employers, but also by gender socialization, marriage, and an assortment of other obligations women must deal with that men do not. The problem is multifaceted and the solution will need to be this way as well.
Sources:
Women physicians paid much less than male counterparts
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/06/13/women-mds-paid-much-less-than-m...
The Wage Gap: Myths vs. Realities
http://www.iwpr.org/blog/2012/05/22/the-wage-gap-myths-vs-realities
Goldin, C. D. (1990). Understanding the gender gap: An economic history of American women. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Rudman, L. A., Glick, P. The social psychology of gender: How power and intimacy shape gender relations. New York, NY: Guilford, 2010.
Edited by Diderique Konig