When we think of an engineer, an IT specialist or a physicist, we are likely to imagine a man. Even though we know that both genders possess the cognitive abilities required for these professions, women are still at a disadvantage, according to a new study by Boglárka Nyúl, assistant professor at ELTE PPK.

In the fields of natural sciences, technology and mathematics, significantly more men are employed than women. Numerous theories have been put forward to explain this asymmetry: some say that women are simply less interested in these professions, but it may also be that employers prefer to hire male candidates because they believe them to be more suited to the job. Recent research shows that women are underrepresented in scientific fields that are considered to require a “brilliant” person.

Brilliance refers to exceptional innate intelligence; we tend to associate this trait with men rather than women. This belief is similarly strong among scientists, laymen, and even six-year-old children, despite the fact that the two genders actually perform almost equally on cognitive tests.

This stereotype influences the decisions of young girls as well: according to research, by the end of high school, the number of students who want to continue their studies in science, technology or mathematics decreases. Women are significantly less likely to apply for jobs associated with brilliance, and are less likely to be hired for positions that, according to traditional thinking, require a “masculine” intellect. Female candidates are less often recommended for promotion if the job description includes high intelligence—similarly, five-year-olds are more likely to choose male teammates when playing games “for very smart kids”.

In their new study, Boglárka Nyúl, Inna Ksenofontov, Alexandra Fleischmann and Rotem Kahalon showcase four experiments, with a total of 920 participants, in which brilliance was examined as gender deviance.

When participants were asked to compare a woman of average intelligence with a woman of exceptional intelligence, researchers found that

more intelligent women are perceived as more masculine, and that brilliance is considered a masculine trait regardless of gender.

The experts also asked the participants to imagine that a new person was arriving at their workplace who had attended school with one of their colleagues. They were told that the new colleague had been the most talented student in their class and had been able to solve even the most difficult problems, and that this had apparently been no different at university. The participants in the experiment had to say what they thought about the person. However, opinions varied depending on whether the person was male or female.

Because brilliant women defy traditional social norms, they face numerous disadvantages in the workplace: their colleagues find them less likeable and are more reluctant to work with them. When participants in the experiments were asked to compare a brilliant man and a brilliant woman—two employees with identical abilities—they still rated the woman as less likeable. Although high intelligence is undoubtedly advantageous from a professional point of view, the authors point out that the opinions of colleagues also play an important role in career development. Beliefs about genius and brilliance not only concern intellectual ability and aptitude but also include the personality traits necessary for success in an academic career, and most of these traits are associated with the male gender role.

According to researchers, our stereotypes about brilliance not only reinforce hidden prejudices against women but also have a negative impact on girls’ career choices and their commitment to science. It is important to re-evaluate the concept of brilliance so that it becomes gender-neutral – this could be achieved, for example, by featuring more highly intelligent women in films and textbooks. The authors emphasise that these women should not be presented as freaks: the aim is for young girls to feel close to them and to see that paths that they may have previously considered more suited to boys are also open to them.