This research project received funding through the 2023 Institute for Diversity Science Seed Grant Program
Principal Investigator: Stav Atir, Assistant Professor, Department of Management, UW–Madison
Abstract: This research investigates how men in influential positions use their familial ties with women, particularly the father-daughter relationship, to bolster their credibility when discussing women-related issues. I explore three interconnected questions: (1) Does “playing the daughter card” grant men credibility on women-related issues? (2) Do people perceive fathers of daughters as more gender egalitarian in general? (3) Does having a daughter genuinely enhance a man’s gender egalitarianism? Drawing from research on the psychology of persuasion, I hypothesize that invoking daughters enhances a father’s credibility due to perceived expertise in- or care about women-related issues. More broadly, I expect to find a lay belief that having a daughter increases gender egalitarianism in men. Yet, I hypothesize that having a daughter does not systematically alter men’s gender egalitarian beliefs, given the resistant nature of social biases. The implications are significant, as misperceiving the gender egalitarianism of fathers with daughters may lead to misplaced trust in policymakers who do not advance women’s interests. This misbelief may also undermine the urgency of promoting women to decision-making positions, perpetuating underrepresentation. By dispelling this misconception, this research removes a barrier to genuine progress toward gender equality, and paves the way to equal representation of women in policy development and in influential decision-making roles.