In the study by Julie E. Phelan, Corinne A.
Moss-Racusin, and Laurie A. Rudman of Rutgers University, participants were presented with taped interviews of candidates for a computer lab manager position.
All applicants presented themselves as competent, but also as either
confident and ambitious or modest and cooperative. Participants then
evaluated the applicants' competence, social skills, and hirability.
The researchers found that if women display confidence and ambition, they are seen as competent, but lacking social skills, while women presenting themselves as modest and cooperative are seen as having good social skills, but poor competence. This means that women are disadvantaged in interviews because men who show ambition and confidence are seen as having both competence and social skills.
