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ABSTRACT
We examined perceptions of those without children in a pre-registered study. Women who made a conscious decision not to have children (i.e., childfree) and women without children for unknown reasons were evaluated more negatively than mothers and those unable to have children (i.e., childless). Few differences were observed in evaluations of male targets as a function of parental status. Although we expected gender differences whereby childfree women would be evaluated more negatively than childfree men, this was not observed. Evaluations also did not vary as a function of perceiver gender. Those higher in social dominance orientation had more negative evaluations of childfree and childless women operating through ascription to traditional gender roles. The same pattern existed for male targets but was no longer supported when statistically controlling for singlism.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Data availability statement
The data described in this article are openly available at https://osf.io/efytd.
Open Scholarship
This article has earned the Center for Open science badges for Open Materials and Preregistered. The materials are openly accessible at https://aspredicted.org/f9jb3.pdf
Notes
1. For brevity, the results of research question 3: “Are men and/or women who do not have children dehumanized in terms of human nature and/or uniquely human traits/emotions?” are not presented. We did not see an overall pattern of dehumanization, but we did see a pattern whereby those without children were ascribed less positive and more negative traits and, in some cases, less negative emotions. Also, note that the wording of hypotheses presented in this paper differs from the wording of hypotheses in the pre-registration, given that during peer review reviewers recommended a re-wording of hypotheses for clarity (but not content).
2. We recognize that part of this research question proposes the null, with is rather atypical, but we considered it important to include our expectations about RWA given that RWA and SDO are often examined simultaneously and often (although not always) operate similarly.
3. Results were consistent when outliers remained in the sample. No action were taken with regard to missing values given that there were very few missing values (one participant was missing data on age, one participant was missing data on attitudes toward men with children, one participant was missing data on SDO item 4, and one participant was missing data on SDO item 6 [it was not the same participant missing data for SDO items 4 and 6]).
4. Since the time the study was completed (2017) we now typically pay a rate closer to minimum wage.
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Notes on contributors
Heather Iverson
Heather Iverson is a graduate student at the University of Calgary focusing in counseling psychology. This research was her honours thesis.
Brittany Lindsay
Brittany Lindsay is a graduate student at the University of Calgary, whose research focuses on the stigma of mental illnesses and suicide behaviors.
Cara C. MacInnis
Cara C. MacInnis, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, whose research focuses on intergroup relations and prejudice.