Why Being Called “La Presidente” Matters: Challenging the Gender-Career Bias

Abstract

This study investigates how linguistic cues influence implicit gender-profession associations and whether gender-fair language can reduce such biases. Using a two-alternative forced-choice task, participants selected between two faces differing in masculinity-femininity traits to match an Italian cue word. In Study 1, participants were presented with gender-marked pronouns as cue words, and they consistently chose faces matching the pronoun's gender. Study 2 replaced pronouns with common gender nouns denoting professional roles, revealing a gender-career bias: female-dominated jobs were matched with more feminine faces, and male-dominated jobs with more masculine ones. Study 3 introduced gender-marked articles, which eliminated the bias of Study 2, suggesting that explicit linguistic markers can override implicit associations. Across all studies, effects were stronger when facial traits were clearly distinct. The findings highlight how language shapes cognitive biases and introduce a novel paradigm for assessing implicit associations. This research offers practical insights for promoting gender equality through language-based interventions.