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More Than Meets the ERN: Suppression of Confrontation Moderates the Effects of Sexism on Error-Related Negativity

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Zachary Petzel

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This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by Hogrefe Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 2023.

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Abstract

Women may suppress behavior and emotions during sexism, impairing subsequent self-control. However, suppression likely depends on social reprisal versus benefit of confronting (i.e., social cost). Experiment 1 (N = 56) found behavioral self-control (i.e., Stroop task performance) was unaffected by sexism. Yet, sexism led to exaggerated amplitudes of the error-related negativity (ERN). Experiment 2 (N = 114) examined the role of confrontation in response to sexism, with women instructed to suppress confrontation during a sexist interaction exhibiting longer reaction times and lower ERN amplitudes. Conversely, women encouraged to confront sexism exhibited heightened ERN amplitudes, as found in Experiment 1, which were mediated by negative affect. The findings suggest sexism reduces women’s self-control, but only within environments that may suppress confrontation.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Petzel ZW, Casad BJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Social Psychology

Year: 2023

Volume: 54

Issue: 4

Print publication date: 01/07/2023

Online publication date: 08/05/2023

Acceptance date: 13/02/2023

Date deposited: 23/06/2023

ISSN (print): 1864-9335

ISSN (electronic): 2151-2590

Publisher: Hogrefe Verlag GmbH & Co. KG

URL: https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000520

DOI: 10.1027/1864-9335/a000520

ePrints DOI: 10.57711/5h5k-xh96

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