Effect of Applicant Gender on Rating and Selection of Undergraduate Sport Management Interns

This study assessed gender effect in rating/selection of undergraduate sport management interns. Abridged resumés of six fictitious interns were mailed to persons who interview/select students for internships within major league baseball, professional basketball, and football (TV = 52; 64%). A 1 = weak to 7 = strong continuum was used to collect ratings to determine if gender biases disfavoring females existed in rating/selection. Respondents also selected one potential intern from the pool. Chi-square indicated no significant gender differences in selection. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant gender/status effect related to lower qualified intern candidates. Conclusions were that candidates' qualifications and experiences may overshadow discriminatory tendencies, but when females and males are equally qualified, gender biases may favor males' credentials.