Gender bias is still prominent in the academic fields, especially through the presentation review process for conferences, a recent study suggests.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Language Evolution, investigated application review process for the 11th Biennial Evolution of Language conference organized by the University of Southern Mississippi and held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Through an experiment, anonymous applications were given to reviewers without indicating the applicant’s gender. Results showed women were more likely to be approved with more positive ratings in this manner and men scored far worse and were less likely to be accepted to speak at the conference.

The finding demonstrates the existence of gender bias, or the “Matilda effect,” a common issue in which women are less likely to have their achievements acknowledged in male-dominated areas of work or research, according to the study.

Tessa Verhoef, one of the conductors of the study, said in an email that the “Matilda effect” is not only an issue regarding the opposite gender.

“The hard thing is that the Matilda effect isn’t a conscious thing. In our study we haven’t measured this, but other studies have shown that even women show the same biases against women,” Tessa said.

Pedro DiPietro, an assistant professor in the women’s and gender studies department at Syracuse University, said it all comes down to what society has constructed to be female and male.

“There is a binary understanding,” DiPietro said. “…  Men are seen as more rational while women are viewed as passionate. Physical performance parallels with intellectual capabilities.”

He remembers a time a student commented in one of his classes that in her high school there were sports and wellness classes. It was fine for young women to do basketball, but men who participated in yoga were frowned upon.

DiPietro added how bias can be reduced, as seen through the double-blind review of the study.

“Some claim that we live in a post-racial society because we have a black president, although there is obvious evidence that this isn’t the case, with issues such as “Black Lives Matter,” DiPietro said. “… There is the social conditioning of being ‘touched’ by privilege or disadvantage. In the case of the study, reviewers are ‘touched’ by male privilege, producing the bias.”

Verhoef published another paper that outlined the ways bias can be reduced through 10 rules in the review process for academic conferences. It includes making a speaker policy, counting the number of women and men attending the conference, making a diverse program committee, responding to resistance and supporting women at meetings.

DiPietro said society needs to show different ways of understanding knowledge by men and women in research or science, technology, engineering and math fields.

“All knowledge is situated — all come from specific histories. Men in their research are articulated, organized in a ‘masculine’ fashion, as opposed to women who are more ‘feminine.’ We can develop a culture in which we foster differences as sources of strength,” he said.

Even in the EvoLang conferences the balance between men and women speakers has improved. Verhoef said they were mostly male before 2016, with nine out of 77 being female, but in the latest conference five female speakers were invited out of nine total.

Sarah Miraglia, an adjunct instructor in the sociology department at SU, conducted her own research, publishing and co-writing an article on gender bias in the STEM field.

Miraglia said she finds that despite gender bias, there is slow advancement of women in STEM, adding that gender inequality in the field needs to be addressed as early as elementary school through math and science programs.

DiPietro said it is not impossible to erase bias, which is an unconscious prejudice that is stemmed from cultural exposition.

“The question isn’t if (bias) can be controlled, but rather what kind of bias are you going to engage with?” DiPietro said. “That is the point of classes in feminist studies, or African American studies. Bias can be controlled through education. Otherwise, what is the hope of society?”

Published on September 21, 2016 at 10:45 pm

Contact Yelisa: yleiva@syr.edu