Men: 45, Women: 0
Men: 45, Women: 0
March 6, 2018
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20m
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Episode Ranking: 17/100
TOPICS: Leadership Psychology
Episode Description
Women in Politics & Leadership The systemic challenges women face when striving for leadership roles.
Ideabrix Summary
The 'Men: 45, Women: 0' episode of the 'Hidden Brain' podcast, hosted by Shankar Vedantam, delves into the challenges women face in leadership roles and the societal biases that contribute to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power. The episode begins with a context of the Women's March and the unprecedented number of women running for the US House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. This sets the stage for exploring the gender disparity in leadership across Congress, Fortune 500 companies, and the presidency, highlighting the improbability of all presidents being male if opportunities were equal.
The episode introduces the concept of the double bind, a paradox where women leaders are criticized for being either too soft or too aggressive. Two contrasting personal anecdotes are shared: Deborah Mehta, an MBA student who was deemed 'too sweet for business' and criticized for her speaking manner, and Tully Winson, a construction company manager who adopted a masculine demeanor to avoid being perceived as weak but faced negative reactions for being assertive.
The narrative continues with insights from two female politicians, Democrat Carol Moseley Braun and Republican Connie Morella, who recount their experiences with gender bias in politics. Both women describe the struggle to be taken seriously and the tendency for their male counterparts to receive more recognition for similar contributions. The episode underscores the scientific evidence of gender bias through the research of social psychologist Alice Egley and psychology professor Madeline Heilman. Their studies reveal that women are often perceived as less competent when assuming traditionally male roles or disliked when they demonstrate competence.
The episode also addresses the emotional double bind women face, as discussed by psychology professor Lisa Feldman Barrett. Women leaders are criticized for showing emotion, perceived as instability, or for lacking emotion, seen as untrustworthy. The episode concludes with the assertion that the responsibility to dismantle the double bind lies not just with women striving for leadership but with society as a whole.
The episode introduces the concept of the double bind, a paradox where women leaders are criticized for being either too soft or too aggressive. Two contrasting personal anecdotes are shared: Deborah Mehta, an MBA student who was deemed 'too sweet for business' and criticized for her speaking manner, and Tully Winson, a construction company manager who adopted a masculine demeanor to avoid being perceived as weak but faced negative reactions for being assertive.
The narrative continues with insights from two female politicians, Democrat Carol Moseley Braun and Republican Connie Morella, who recount their experiences with gender bias in politics. Both women describe the struggle to be taken seriously and the tendency for their male counterparts to receive more recognition for similar contributions. The episode underscores the scientific evidence of gender bias through the research of social psychologist Alice Egley and psychology professor Madeline Heilman. Their studies reveal that women are often perceived as less competent when assuming traditionally male roles or disliked when they demonstrate competence.
The episode also addresses the emotional double bind women face, as discussed by psychology professor Lisa Feldman Barrett. Women leaders are criticized for showing emotion, perceived as instability, or for lacking emotion, seen as untrustworthy. The episode concludes with the assertion that the responsibility to dismantle the double bind lies not just with women striving for leadership but with society as a whole.
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