SHE’s Social Experiment on Gender Mindsets

In September 2023, SHE conducted an online social experiment with 406 Singaporean residents aged 18 and above, to uncover insights into Singaporeans’ current mindsets on gender norms and stereotypes. We used a series of hypothetical scenarios and Implicit Association Testing (IAT), the latter being a widely used research tool to examine beliefs that people may not be conscious of or may hesitate to share publicly.

The experiment revealed that while seven in 10 respondents believed that women and men were treated fairly and equally in Singapore, traditional gender stereotypes still shape our mindsets and behaviour. If left unchecked, such stereotypes can result in bias and affect fair and equal treatment at home and in the workplace, and even online.

Understanding the current state of gender mindsets in Singapore is necessary to identify where the biggest challenges lie, so that we can drive forward the conversation on how to effect positive change.

See what else our experiment revealed!