A competent female lawyer is passed over for a promotion that is given to an underperforming male. She notices that most of the law firm's senior partners are male, despite the fact that 30 percent of the firm's lawyers are women. What term do sociologists use to describe this circumstance?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The glass ceiling effect describes the invisible barriers that prevent qualified individuals, particularly women and minorities, from advancing within an organization despite their qualifications and achievements. It is characterized by a lack of diversity in the upper ranks of an organization, such as the senior partners at this law firm being mostly male despite the fact that 30 percent of the lawyers are women. The other choices, "only boys allowed," "men only syndrome," and "old boys' network," are not sociological terms used to describe this circumstance.

A Competent Female Lawyer Is Passed Over for a Promotion