Hijab and enclothed cognition: The effect of hijab on interpersonal attitudes in a homogenous Muslim-majority context

Stereotyping and discrimination against hijab-wearing women have been studied extensively in many Western countries, which are home to Muslim diasporas. However, there is a paucity of research on Muslim-majority countries. The purpose this study address gap explore interpersonal attitudes toward both non-hijab-wearing women, Pakistan, Majority country. In paper, we used the presence or absence hijab as independent variable, measured competence warmth using items from Stereotype Content Model (SCM), well social task attraction Interpersonal Attraction Scale (IAS) dependent variables. Study 1 included 352 undergraduate students, while 2 involved 151 human resource professionals. findings studies were consistent suggesting that participants had higher attribution competence, warmth, compared women. Conversely, non-hijab condition attributed lower levels attraction. We interpret these such homogeneous society, individuals who strongly identify with internalize culture, exhibit preference for their own cultural religious values (cultural endogamy), attribute attraction, protagonist wears hijab. This has implications employment opportunities workplace hijabis (women wear headscarf) non-hijabis do not hijab).