Who belongs and who leads? Experimental evidence on bias against neurodivergent employees and leaders

Purpose This study explores perceptions towards neurodivergent co-workers and leaders by assessing attributions of warmth, competence and social distance. Design/methodology/approach We use a vignette methodology with 467 participants with work experience who were presented with a short lay-language description of neurotypical as well as neurodivergent (ADHD, dyslexia, autism and intellectual giftedness) potential co-workers and leaders. Participants were asked to assess (typical) individuals with these conditions in terms of their expected warmth and competence in a co-worker or leadership role, as well as their expected social distance towards neurodivergent employees at work. Findings Neurodivergent individuals were generally rated lower on competence and warmth, except for those with intellectual giftedness, who received higher ratings on both warmth and competence. Social distance was significantly higher toward neurodivergent individuals, especially in leadership roles, highlighting how discrimination is amplified by social-role stereotypes. Only ascribed competence mediated the effect of neurodivergence on social distance, suggesting performance-based biases in work settings. Prior experience with neurodivergent peers and self-identification as neurodivergent had limited moderating effects. Practical implications Our findings reveal the nuanced role of social role stereotypes in shaping inclusion efforts and underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing leadership perceptions and competence-based stigma. Originality/value This is the first study that empirically applies the Stereotype Content Model across various neurodivergent conditions and examines how role-based perceptions operate within workplace hierarchies.