A woman who quickly spots a problem, offers a sharp analysis or comes up with a solution may expect her contribution to earn respect from her colleagues. But being highly capable does not always translate into better workplace relationships. New research suggests that women with strong intellectual abilities may face a social penalty that men with similar abilities are less likely to experience. The study found that highly capable women were more likely to report strained relationships with colleagues, receive less support and experience workplace mistreatment. Men with comparable ability did not face the same pattern and, in some cases, received more support.The research paper, titled ‘Understanding the Intersection of Gender and Cognitive Ability on Interpersonal Outcomes: A Multistudy Investigation,’ was published on May 18, 2026.
9 Feb 2026 | 17:28
What advice would you give your younger self about work or finances?
Why intelligence may not earn women the same response
The researchers studied more than 800 individuals across 140 teams. They found that women identified as highly capable were more likely to experience workplace victimisation and receive less practical and emotional support from teammates. Highly capable men, by contrast, were less likely to face these outcomes and were often helped more by colleagues. The findings suggest that colleagues may not interpret ability in isolation. Their perceptions can also be shaped by expectations about how women and men are supposed to behave at work.Women are often expected to be warm, cooperative and attentive to other people’s needs. When a woman displays strong analytical ability or stands out for her competence, colleagues may be more likely to see her as less approachable or less supportive, even when her actual behaviour does not justify that judgement. In other words, the same quality can be interpreted differently depending on who displays it. Competence may reinforce a positive impression of a man, while a highly capable woman may face pressure to demonstrate that she is also likeable and accommodating.The study does not suggest that every intelligent woman faces hostility or that every male colleague receives preferential treatment. It just identifies a pattern highlighting how gender stereotypes can shape workplace interactions.
The penalty may show up in everyday interactions
Photo: Canva
The disadvantage does not always take the form of an openly hostile comment or a direct challenge to a woman’s ability. It can appear in smaller ways: being left out of informal conversations, receiving less help with a task or finding colleagues less willing to offer support. Over time, these interactions can affect how well employees work together and how easily people access opportunities. A person who receives less information, assistance or cooperation may find it harder to do their job, even when their skills are strong.The researchers argue that employers need to examine how they judge qualities such as likeability and teamwork. If women are expected to prove both their competence and their warmth, while men are given more room to be seen as capable on its own, workplace evaluations may not be as fair as they appear.
Earlier research has also examined the social cost of brilliance
The findings are consistent with other research into how gender stereotypes can affect perceptions of highly intelligent women. A 2024 paper examined whether being seen as brilliant conflicts with traditional expectations of femininity. Across four preregistered experiments involving 920 participants, the researchers found evidence that brilliance could carry social costs for women, including a greater risk of backlash in workplace-related evaluations.
What this means for workplaces
The findings do not mean women should downplay their skills or change how they speak to colleagues to avoid being judged. Instead, the responsibility lies partly with organisations to ensure that competence is not interpreted through different standards for men and women.The study is based on research involving 826 people across 140 work groups, so its findings should not be treated as proof that every workplace operates in the same way. More research will be needed to understand how these patterns vary across industries, roles and cultures. But its central point is important: a woman’s ability may be recognised on paper while the people around her respond to it differently. When competence is judged alongside gendered expectations about warmth and cooperation, the cost may show up not in her skills, but in the support she receives from the people she works with.
