Women as psychology academics: The case of Italy

This study examined horizontal segregation and publication productivity among Italian female psychology academics. It aimed at answering the following questions: Are Italian female academic psychologists overrepresented in low status ranks within their University, as compared to men? Is Italian female academics' scientific productivity weaker than that of their male peers? What might affect scientific productivity, and thus indirectly career advancement? Our sample consisted of 511 University psychology professors (250 females and 261 males) listed in the 2004 Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) site. We examined the rank and leadership positions occupied by female faculty in their departments. We also considered women's scientific productivity over the course of the previous seven years, that is, from 1998 to 2004. As measures of productivity we included indicators such as publication type and whether the publication was domestic or international. We found that women were overrepresented at the lower academic ranks, where they were a majority of psychology faculty. Their productivity however was more similar than different to that of men. Women published slightly less than men, especially in international journals, and as senior authors. However, faculty academic rank and Department size, not sex-of-faculty, were the best predictors of publication rate. Our findings suggest that a strong pipeline and good scientific productivity are likely not going to correct the persisting under representation of women at the top ranks of academic psychology.