Stereotypes about Parents in the Workplace: Bringing Kids to Work and the Effects on Person Perception
Abstract
This study looks at research on gender roles and women in the workplace to evaluate the effects of parents taking children to work. Gender of the parent and whether the decision was made to take their child to work or stay home with the child were used as independent variables. Parenting ability, professionalism, mentoring ability, and leadership ability were all considered as dependent variables. Multiple ANOVAs were used to check for significant differences, most of which were found within the child at work versus child at home condition. For example, parents who took their child to work were seen as worse parents, leaders, and mentors. Findings may suggest that more egalitarian gender role orientations are in the works. This interdisciplinary project utilizes sources and theories from both sociology and psychology to examine a phenomenon that impacts both the individual and the greater society.