Gender bias and the foreign language effect: exploring the impact of linguistic similarity

Abstract

Gender bias is deeply embedded in language and influences perceptions of social roles. Prior research suggests that the Foreign Language Effect (FLE) – the phenomenon where using a foreign language affects judgment and reasoning – can reduce implicit biases, including gender stereotypes, when individuals process information in a second language (L2). This effect has been attributed to increased cognitive effort and emotional detachment, leading to more deliberate and less automatic judgments. However, existing studies primarily examine FLE in linguistically distant languages, leaving open the question of whether the effect persists when both L1 and L2 share grammatical gender systems. This study investigates gender bias in adjective evaluations among native Italian speakers and Italian speakers assessing adjectives in Spanish as an L2. Participants rated adjectives categorized under Power, Weakness, Warmth, and Coldness, which have established gender connotations. The results replicated prior findings, showing that Power and Coldness adjectives are predominantly associated with masculinity, while Weakness and Warmth adjectives are linked to femininity. Additionally, female participants tended to assign stronger gender-stereotyped scores than male participants – a pattern consistent with previous research. However, no significant differences were found between evaluations in Italian (L1) and Spanish (L2), suggesting that linguistic similarity might have weakened or neutralized the FLE.