INTERACTION AND THE CONSERVATION OF GENDER INEQUALITY - CONSIDERING EMPLOYMENT

How can we explain the persistence of gender hierarchy over transforma tions in its socioeconomic base? Part of the answer lies in the mediat ion of gender inequality by taken-for-granted interactional processes that rewrite inequality into new institutional arrangements. The probl ems of interacting cause actors to automatically sex-categorize others and, thus, to cue gender stereotypes that have various effects on int eractional outcomes, usually by modifying the performance of other, mo re salient identities. Because changes in the status dimension of gend er stereotypes lag behind changes in resource inequalities, interactio nal status processes can reestablish gender inequalities in new struct ural forms. Interactional sex categorization also biases the choice of comparison others, causing men and women to judge differently the rew ards available to them. Operating in workplace relations, these proces ses conserve inequality by driving the gender-labeling of jobs, constr ucting people as gender-interested actors, contributing to employers' discriminatory preferences, and mediating men's and women's perception s of alternatives and their willingness to settle for given job outcom es.