The workplace intelligence double standard: Why clever women are branded 'hostile' - while smart men are treated better

It pays to be clever at work – unless you're female, according to a new study.

Researchers have found that women seen as highly competent often pay a hidden social price, with colleagues less willing to help them and more likely to see them as hostile.

They are also viewed as less warm and likeable, they discovered.

Intelligent men, on the other hand, appear to avoid this issue – and even report better treatment from their peers.

The findings may help explain why accomplished women ranging from Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel to Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris have often faced criticism for being cold, hostile or unlikeable, despite being widely regarded as highly capable leaders.

'We tend to think of intelligence as an inherently positive attribute in the workplace,' first author Dr Nitya Chawla, from University College London, told the Daily Mail.

'However, our research suggests that intelligence can have very different interpersonal consequences for women and men.'

For their study, researchers analysed data from more than 800 people across 140 teams.

Participants completed cognitive ability tests and rated colleagues on factors including hostility, support and workplace treatment.

Analysis revealed that very smart women were more likely to be viewed as hostile, receive less help from teammates and report greater workplace mistreatment.

However, the findings, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, also point to a workplace double standard.

Men with similarly high cognitive ability did not experience the same penalties and, in some cases, received more support from colleagues.

The researchers said women who are competent may face a backlash because they are seen to be violating traditional expectations.

'Our findings point to the role of gender stereotypes in shaping how intelligence is interpreted,' Dr Chawla said.

'When women possess intelligence, they automatically are also perceived as less warm and more hostile. 

'Men, however, do not carry the same perceptual burdens.'

The results may help explain why talented women can struggle to gain the same support and recognition as equally competent male colleagues.

The researchers also warned that the consequences can extend far beyond hurt feelings.

They said seemingly minor acts, such as excluding women from informal discussions or withholding support, can build up over time and ultimately damage career prospects.

'These interpersonal experiences are often not limited to a single interaction - rather, they tend to occur repeatedly, shaping women's sense of belonging, access to resources, and ability to thrive at work,' Dr Chawla added.