Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2026
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Department
Management
First Advisor
David F. Arena Jr.
Second Advisor
Wendy J. Casper
Third Advisor
Alison V. Hall Birch
Fourth Advisor
Julie Wayne
Abstract
Women continue to face workplace bias, including wage disparities (Fry & Aragao, 2025) and barriers to advancement like the glass ceiling (Babic & Hansez, 2021). For mothers these challenges are compounded by stereotypes tied to their maternal status, such as assumptions about reduced commitment and the motherhood penalty (Arena Jr. et al., 2023). Research shows mothers are often viewed as warmer but less competent than non-mothers, which can hinder career progression (Cuddy et al., 2004; Heilman & Okimoto, 2008). Racial and ethnic stereotypes further shape perceptions, with Black women often labeled as “aggressive” and Latinas as “nurturing” (Ghavami & Peplau, 2012). This dissertation investigates how racioethnicity and maternal status jointly influence perceptions of working women, focusing on warmth and competence. Grounded in the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske et al., 2002) and the MOSAIC framework (Hall et al., 2019), this experimental study examines how Black, Latina, and White women are evaluated when motherhood status is signaled. I hypothesized that mothers will be seen as warmer but less competent, with amplified effects for Black and Latina mothers. These trait-based perceptions are expected to influence broader evaluations, including leadership potential and fit with the ideal worker prototype. Findings are discussed regarding their individual and organizational implications.
Keywords
motherhood penalty, intersectional stereotyping, working mothers, workplace bias
Disciplines
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Leadership | Organizational Behavior and Theory
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Guerrero, Patricia, "Too Warm to Lead? How Motherhood and Racioethnicity Shape Perceptions of Warmth and Competence" (2026). Management Dissertations. 1.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/management_dissertations2/1
Included in
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commons, Leadership Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons