Distant Others: Understanding Transgender Bias at Work with a Construal Level Theory Lens

Abstract

This study investigates how the gender identity of a prospective team member, specifically, transgender  versus cisgender (male or female), influences perceived interpersonal similarity and willingness to  collaborate in high-stakes workplace projects. Through two between-subjects experiments using vignettes,  we explore how respondents evaluate a potential team member based on their gender described as either  male, female, or transgender. Results from Study 1 reveal that female respondents perceive transgender  candidates as significantly less similar to themselves compared to female candidates, across multiple  dimensions of interpersonal and task-related compatibility. Study 2 investigates the underlying  psychological mechanisms using Construal Level Theory (CLT). Mediation analysis demonstrates that the  proposed candidate’s gender and perceived similarity are significantly mediated by psychological distance.  Transgender candidates are perceived as more psychologically distant, leading to lower perceived  similarity. The findings provide robust empirical support for CLT in the domain of workplace inclusion,  demonstrating that social identity factors, such as gender identity, influence cognitive construals and  collaboration preferences in team settings. The paper contributes to diversity management, social  cognition, and human resource literature by highlighting how transgender bias in hiring and team  formation is not merely attitudinal but cognitively mediated through psychological mechanisms.  Implications for inclusive organizational practices and training interventions are discussed.