The researchers report that male Sam’s perceived status was enhanced by humor, while female Sam’s was diminished. Humorous male Sam was evaluated more positively than serious male Sam on several indicators, including leadership potential. The opposite was true for humorous female Sam.

What’s behind these disparate results? Evans and his colleagues note that men are generally seen as rational and achievement-oriented. “These aspects of the male stereotype reinforce a positive interpretation of humor,” they write.

In contrast, “working women are stereotyped as having lower dedication to work, because of their association with family responsibilities,” they add. This makes colleagues and supervisors more inclined to view their use of humor in a negative light, signaling that women aren’t taking work sufficiently seriously.

Witty Women Are Less Likely to Get Promoted Than Men – Pacific Standard

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