A new study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science found that men are more likely to recognize sexism when their partner shares a personal experience of discrimination. Researchers led by Emily J. Cross discovered that taking his partner’s perspective can help men develop greater awareness of gender-based inequality.
In the study, 576 participants were randomly assigned to read scenarios about gender discrimination in the workplace. Men who read a scenario where their partner was described as such were more likely to engage in perspective-taking and identify the situation as discriminatory. This effect remained even when controlling for existing levels of empathy and sexist beliefs.
The researchers also found that men who took their partner’s perspective were more aware of sexism in general, had lower modern sexist beliefs, and were less likely to agree with subtle, everyday beliefs that downplay or dismiss sexism. The effects held true even when analyzing indirect pathways, suggesting that taking his partner’s perspective can lead to broader changes in attitudes.
The study suggests that romantic relationships offer a unique environment for fostering men’s awareness of gender discrimination. When partners are attuned to each other’s emotions, it can motivate men to better understand what their partner is going through.
While the study includes some caveats, including limited scope to man-woman relationships and the need for systemic changes to challenge gender inequality, it highlights the potential power of romantic relationships in raising awareness about sexism.
Source: https://www.psypost.org/romantic-relationships-can-help-men-recognize-sexism-new-research-finds