2024 Theses Doctoral

An Examination of the Effects of Prescriptive Stereotype Violations about Competence on East Asians Ratings of Leadership Potential

Yu, Hong

This dissertation examines the effects of prescriptive stereotype violations about competence on East Asians' ratings of leadership potential. Despite being perceived as competent, East Asians are underrepresented in leadership positions across different industries in the United States, a phenomenon known as the “bamboo ceiling.”

This study investigated whether East Asians are held to a higher standard of technical competence than Whites regarding career outcomes such as possessing leadership potential and receiving rewards, or being perceived with the same level of respect, trust, liking, and boss desirability. The study used a 2 (Target’s Race: East Asian and White) x 3 (Technical Competence: Display, Withhold and Control ) between-subjects design, with participants recruited from the tech industry.

The results revealed that the stereotype of Asians being competent is so entrenched that Asians were rated higher on overall competence even when they failed to demonstrate high technical competence or when no information was shared on technical competence compared to their White counterparts. However, the higher level of perceived competence for East Asians did not translate into a corresponding higher rating of their career outcomes such as leadership potential or recommendations for rewards. This study sheds light on the challenges that East Asians face and underscores the need for organizations to reevaluate their evaluation processes and criteria.