The primary goal of this study was to examine the role of proactive personality in moderating the influence of the widely-held `masculine' stereotype about entrepreneurs on intentions to become an entrepreneur. Manipulating stereotype threat, results from eighty young women indicated that women with more proactive personality were more significantly affected by exposure to the commonly known stereotype about entrepreneurs and had a significant decrease in entrepreneurial intentions compared to women with less proactive personality. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical significance and practical relevance.
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