Study reveals how stereotypes undermine diversity efforts in the workplace

Aug 9, 2023

2 min

Kyle Emich


Although they were released well before the "Barbie" movie crushed it at the box office, recent findings by a group of University of Delaware researchers could have been used as fodder for a scene in the film.


Kyle Emich, a professor of management at the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, along with former UD colleagues Rachel Amey and Chad Forbes, wanted to know why women’s knowledge often gets ignored in the workplace, and how to improve that situation.


Drawing on both a problem-solving group exercise and measurements of brain activity, their findings, published by the journal Small Group Research, illustrate ways stereotypes and attitudes can stifle the benefits of diversity efforts. At the same time, the study also offers hope for solutions.


Key takeaways:

  • While women are often urged to fight for status, the onus should actually be placed on high-status men to respect and accept women’s expertise. -
  • Teams in the group exercise made up of two men and one woman were less effective. Women often struggled to speak up when they were in the minority. Also, the more minority women on these teams shared key information, the less respect they got from their team.
  • The findings, Emich and his team said, confirm the idea that a lack of respect for minorities undermines the benefit of diversity. They also argue that while the burden is often put on women to make sure they have a voice, men in power should also bear this responsibility.


Emich, who studies group dynamics and performance in work settings and examines how emotions influence cognitive processing, is available for interviews. Click on his profile below to set one up.

Connect with:
Kyle Emich

Kyle Emich

Associate Professor, Management

Prof. Emich's research explores the role of individual attributes in team dynamics and other collective environments.

Cognitive ProcessingLeadershipOrganizational BehaviorTeam DynamicsGroup Dynamics

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Delaware

2 min

Vitamin D in pregnancy may boost kids’ brainpower

You don't need a scientist to tell you that milk is good for babies. But a new study led by the University of Delaware's Melissa Melough sheds light on the power of prenatal nutrition — specifically vitamin D— as a key contributor to children’s brain development. The research found that children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12 compared with those whose mothers had lower levels. Melough wrote about the study in a piece for The Conversation. Vitamin D deficiency affects 42% of U.S. adults and about a third of pregnant women, but the average American woman consumes just 168 international units of vitamin D daily (the recommended amount is 600 ID). Many prenatal vitamins contain only 400 IU. One promising finding could result in the solution of a racial disparity in nutrition. The study found a link between prenatal vitamin D levels and childhood cognition was strongest among Black families, who also face higher rates of vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation could be a low-cost strategy to support brain development while reducing racial disparities. Melough is available for interviews about the study, and can also speak to the following topics: • Nutritional and environmental factors influencing human health. • Populations at risk for nutritional inadequacies or harmful environmental exposures. • The roles of endocrine disruptors in the development of obesity. • The influences of maternal nutrition on childhood outcomes • Novel dietary approaches to reduce chemical exposures or their associated health consequences. To arrange an interview with Melough, visit her profile page and click on the "contact" button, or send an email to MediaRelations@udel.edu.

1 min

Pets and the Texas floods: Owners faced difficult decisions and loss during and after disaster

One of the more overlooked aspects of any disaster is the loss of pets. Many of them become separated from their owners, are badly injured or perish as the result of a hurricane, flood, earthquake or other major event. This was the case in the recent flooding of the Guadalupe River in central Texas, said Sarah DeYoung, core faculty with the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center. DeYoung can talk about the following aspects related to the tragedy: • The decisions that people have to make during evacuation, particularly for those with companion animals. • The amount of horses along the Guadalupe River, which could be found at the camps and recreation areas. • Pets that go missing after a flash flood, and the role that key organizations play in response and tracking and managing logistics. • The psychological impact on people whose pets were injured or died, who are mourning and making memorials. DeYoung can also discuss maternal and child health in crisis and disaster settings with a focus on infant feeding in emergencies. To set up an interview with DeYoung, visit her profile page and click on the contact button; or send an email to MediaRelations@udel.edu.

1 min

What X chief executive's sudden exit means for the future of the social media giant

A sudden CEO departure almost always causes shockwaves. But the unexpected July 9 exit of X chief executive Linda Yaccarino after just two years – especially without a meaningful explanation – suggests instability or deeper dysfunction, says Lawrence Cunningham, director of the University of Delaware's Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance. Cunningham said the immediate questions are what was the succession plan, and is it now being executed? "Or was there no plan, which itself is a governance failure? Boards have a duty to prepare for transitions, especially in volatile environments. If succession planning was absent or inadequate, more departures may follow," he said. Cunningham can discuss the following topics in regards to Yaccarino's departure: • What a short CEO tenure signals about board oversight and strategic misalignment. • The role of succession planning – and what it means if none was in place. • Why reputational risk and cultural tone at the top matter in retaining leadership. • How boards should respond to external controversies affecting company values. To connect with Cunningham directly and arrange an interview, visit his profile and click on the "contact" button," or send an email to MediaRelations@udel.edu.

View all posts