Economic Inequality is Masculine: High Vertical Pay Gap Fuels Expectations for Gender Discrimination via Inferred Masculinity Norms

Abstract

Gender discrimination remains a major obstacle to workplace equality. While various factors contribute to this issue, organizational structures that reinforce hierarchical, male-dominated cultures may indicate that gender discrimination is widespread and normative. This research examines how vertical pay gaps—the wage gap between top earners and other employees—are used by employees as cues for organizational norms, which in turn shape perceptions and expectations of workplace gender discrimination. Study 1 ( N = 410, cross-sectional) shows that women report higher levels of perceived gender discrimination in organizations with greater pay inequality. In Studies 2a and 2b ( N total = 711, preregistered experiments), we manipulate vertical pay gap and confirm its impact on discrimination expectations. Importantly, this effect is mediated by the perception that unequal organizations foster a masculine workplace climate, reinforcing norms such as dominance, competition, and strength. These findings demonstrate that economic inequality fosters an organizational climate that disadvantages women. Reducing pay disparities through wage caps may promote a more inclusive work climate.