NEW YORK: Men are more likely to be seen as ”brilliant” than women, say researchers in a new study measuring global perceptions linked to gender.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, found that these stereotyped views are an instance of implicit bias, which is when associations are automatically activated in our minds.

“Stereotypes that portray brilliance as a male trait are likely to hold women back across a wide range of prestigious careers,” said study lead author Daniel Storage from the University of Denver in the US.

“Understanding the prevalence and magnitude of this gender-brilliance stereotype can inform future efforts to increase gender equity in career outcomes,” said study senior author Andrei Cimpian from the New York University in the US.

Previous work by Cimpian and his colleagues has suggested that women are underrepresented in careers where success is perceived to depend on high levels of intellectual ability (e.g., brilliance, genius), including those in science and technology.

Less understood are the factors that explain this phenomenon. To address this, the current study explored the potential impact of stereotypes.

(With inputs from agencies)