From stereotypes to choices: understanding self-stereotyping, housework share, and career aspirations in Germany and Nigeria

This dissertation examines how gender stereotypes and self-stereotyping shape self-perceptions, domestic roles, and career aspirations in two contrasting cultural contexts, Germany and Nigeria. Although progress toward gender equality has been made, traditional beliefs about the traits and responsibilities of women and men continue to influence social and professional life. These beliefs are commonly structured along the dimensions of agency, referring to assertiveness and competence, and communion, referring to warmth and care. Understanding how these stereotypes operate across socio-economic and cultural contexts is essential for explaining persistent gendered patterns of behavior. Most research on gender stereotypes has been conducted in high-income Western countries. However, cultural norms, institutional structures, and economic systems differ substantially across regions. Germany combines strong equality policies with continued gender gaps in leadership and caregiving. Nigeria, in contrast, reflects patriarchal traditions alongside high female labor participation in formal and informal sectors. Comparing both contexts allows for identifying universal and culture-specific mechanisms of gender role construction. The dissertation comprises three empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals. While some studies included additional countries, the dissertation focuses exclusively on Germany and Nigeria to ensure consistency and comparability. The first study (Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2022) analyzed gender stereotypes and self-characterizations among 428 participants. Using mixed-design ANOVAs, it showed that agency and communion stereotypes persist in both countries but differ in expression. In Germany, gender differences were weaker in self-ratings than in perceptions of others. In Nigeria, both women and men reported high levels of agency and communion, suggesting culturally integrated self-concepts. The second study (Journal of Social Issues, 2023) examined the gendered division of housework during the COVID-19 pandemic among 428 married or cohabiting adults. MANOVA and repeated-measures analyses revealed that women in both countries performed most domestic and caregiving tasks, even when work hours were comparable. In Germany, men’s participation increased slightly but remained limited to traditionally male-typed tasks. In Nigeria, limited institutional support and strong gender norms intensified women’s domestic burden. Participants anticipated little long-term change. The third study (Sex Roles, 2025) investigated how self-stereotyping and life goals predict career interests (N = 1,083). ANOVA, regression, and mediation analyses showed that agentic self-views and status goals were associated with interest in male-typed careers, whereas communal self-views and family goals predicted female-typed career preferences. Cultural context moderated these relationships. Together, the studies demonstrate that gender norms remain influential across personal, domestic, and professional domains, though their expression varies by context. Equality in attitudes does not necessarily translate into equality in behavior. The findings extend established gender theories beyond Western settings and highlight the importance of integrating life-goal perspectives into models of gendered decision-making. The dissertation underscores that gender equality is not a linear process but a context-dependent negotiation between social norms, individual aspirations, and institutional structures.