The Influence of Hijab on Perceptions of Attractiveness, Intelligence, and Employability:
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi
Title Proper by Another Author
A Comparative Study of South Asian Muslim Women in the US and the UAE
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
T. Masson
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2012
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
160
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
Ph.D.
Body granting the degree
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Text preceding or following the note
2012
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
This study investigates the influence of the hijab (the Islamic headscarf) on perceptions of attractiveness, intelligence, and employability among South Asian Muslim women in the United States (US) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The effects of religiosity and perceived discrimination were also examined. Results suggested that the hijab was a salient marker of in-group preferences for hijabis, but the lack of hijab was not necessarily a salient condition to promote in-group preferences for non-hijabis. Religiosity was highly correlated with personal hijab status; however, as a separate variable, religiosity did not have an effect on perceptions of attractiveness or intelligence, except in the UAE where participants who reported higher levels of religiosity rated photos of non-hijabis lower in attractiveness. US participants reported more discrimination than UAE participants. However, perceived discrimination only had a negative effect on ratings of employability among hijabis in the US, not among non-hijabis in the UAE.