Title: Inclusivity in higher education and the workplace: An experimental study
Author(s) : Kristin Sotak, David Dominguez, Victoria Perez
Perceived inclusivity, or the thoughts and feelings of being accepted and recognized, affects important psychological processes and outcomes for both students and employees in organizations. The purpose of this study was to understand how gender inclusivity affects creativity, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, affect, and likelihood of attending an event in an experimental study of students. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, where they viewed a flyer for an event on campus with a picture of people that included (1) both males and females, (2) all males, or (3) all females. Results showed that females experienced higher levels of inclusivity in conditions (1) and (2); however, males experienced equal levels of inclusivity across all conditions. The implications are that women may detect discrimination easier than men. This could be because women have a broader range of experiences when it comes to sexism and inclusivity. Future research is discussed.