From “Doctor” to “Nurse”: The Influence of Gender Stereotypes on the Neural Processing of Words and Faces
Dr. Francesca Pesciarelli. University of Modea and Reggio Emilia.
Date and time: 14th of November, 13h.
Venue: Sala de Conferencias 1, CIMCYC
Abstract: Gender stereotypes profoundly influence how we perceive and interact with others, significantly impacting decisions such as hiring, promotions, and educational opportunities, contributing to a persistent global gender gap. In this talk, I will explore how gender stereotypes influence the neural processing of linguistic and facial cues. Although social psychology has shown that stereotypes automatically shape our judgment and actions, their underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Using event-related potentials (ERPs) combined with priming paradigms, my research shows through four experiments that gender stereotypes are activated rapidly and automatically in our brain (Experiment 1), influencing neural responses and behavior even under unconscious conditions (Experiment 2), and that faces are particularly potent triggers of gender stereotyping (Experiments 3 and 4). Interestingly, the results revealed a gender asymmetry that extends from language to faces: stereotypes associated with men and women activate distinct neural mechanisms. These findings highlight how deeply ingrained stereotypes persistently shape perceptions and behavior, emphasizing the importance of understanding these processes to develop effective interventions to reduce them. I will conclude the talk by discussing ongoing research on how bilingualism might further modulate stereotype processing.