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In project management, unconscious gender biases represent a hidden layer of complexity, subtly shaping evaluations of competences and leadership potential. This study explores how unconscious gender biases emerge as part of the complex dynamics within organizational decision\u2010making systems. It investigates the interplay between individual cognitive biases and systemic factors in defining what constitutes a \u201cgood project manager\u201d and how these biases influence hiring and promotion decisions. Using a sample of project management professionals, we applied noise\u2010based reverse correlation (NBRC) to reveal participants\u2019 unconscious mental representations of an ideal project manager by generating faces that best represented project managers. The study then compared these representations with conscious competence evaluations based on the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Competence Baseline, incorporating statistical methods to identify patterns of bias and preference. The findings reveal that unconscious gender biases align with entrenched stereotypes, favoring traits associated with masculinity in leadership roles. However, when consciously evaluating specific competences, participants displayed preferences that challenged these biases, suggesting a misaligned relationship between unconscious perceptions and explicit decisions. Unconscious gender bias operates as a hidden variable within the complex system of organizational decision\u2010making, creating feedback loops that reinforce traditional stereotypes. Understanding these dynamics requires a system\u2010level approach that integrates cognitive and organizational perspectives. Our findings highlight the need for interventions that address both individual biases and structural factors to foster equitable decision\u2010making in complex organizational environments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1155\/cplx\/7974362","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,13]],"date-time":"2025-08-13T10:51:16Z","timestamp":1755082276000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Conscious and Unconscious Gender Bias in Competence Evaluations: Mental Representations of Project Managers"],"prefix":"10.1155","volume":"2025","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8904-5421","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roc\u00edo","family":"Poveda-Bautista","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3698-3411","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jose Antonio","family":"Diego-Mas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8300-7774","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hannia","family":"Gonz\u00e1lez-Urango","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5429-935X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carmen","family":"Corona-Sobrino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_14_1_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/EDI-03-2017-0061"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0263-7863(02)00114-X"},{"key":"e_1_2_14_3_2","unstructured":"FrenchE. 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