THE AFFIRMATIVE-ACTION STIGMA OF INCOMPETENCE - EFFECTS OF PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AMBIGUITY

In two studies, 264 male and female managers reviewed information abou t the job performance of a person portrayed as either a man or a woman and, if a woman, as either an affirmative action hire or not. As expe cted, subjects rated female affirmative action hires as less competent and recommended smaller salary increases for them than for men and wo men not associated with affirmative action. This pattern held even whe n disconfirming performance information was provided if that informati on was ambiguous either with regard to degree of success (Study 1) or with regard to who was responsible for the success (Study 2).