scholarly journals Statistical Discrimination and the Rationalization of Stereotypes

2020 ◽  
pp. 000312242096939
Author(s):  
András Tilcsik
Keyword(s):  
Labor Markets ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Statistical Discrimination ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Critical Commentary ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Managerial Experience ◽  
Scientific Framework

The theory of statistical discrimination is a dominant social scientific framework for understanding discrimination in labor markets. To date, the literature has treated this theory as a model that merely explains employer behavior. This article contends that the idea of statistical discrimination, rather than simply providing an explanation, can lead people to view social stereotyping as useful and acceptable and thus help rationalize and justify discriminatory decisions. A preregistered survey experiment with more than 2,000 participants who had managerial experience shows that exposure to statistical discrimination theory strengthened people’s belief in the accuracy of stereotypes, their acceptance of stereotyping, and the extent to which they engaged in gender discrimination in a hiring simulation. Reading a critical commentary on the theory mitigated these effects. These findings imply that theories of discrimination, and the language associated with them, can rationalize—or challenge the rationality of—stereotypes and discrimination and, as a result, shape the attitudes and actions of decision-makers in labor markets.

scholarly journals Statistical Discrimination and the Rationalization of Stereotypes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
András Tilcsik
Keyword(s):  
Labor Markets ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Statistical Discrimination ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Critical Commentary ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Managerial Experience ◽  
Scientific Framework

The theory of statistical discrimination is a dominant social scientific framework for understanding discrimination in labor markets. To date, the literature has treated this theory as a model that merely explains employer behavior. This article contends that the idea of statistical discrimination, rather than simply providing an explanation, can lead people to view social stereotyping as useful and acceptable and thus help rationalize and justify discriminatory decisions. A preregistered survey experiment with more than 2,000 participants who had managerial experience shows that exposure to statistical discrimination theory strengthened people’s belief in the accuracy of stereotypes, their acceptance of stereotyping, and the extent to which they engaged in gender discrimination in a hiring simulation. Reading a critical commentary on the theory mitigated these effects. These findings imply that theories of discrimination, and the language associated with them, can rationalize—or challenge the rationality of—stereotypes and discrimination and, as a result, shape the attitudes and actions of decision-makers in labor markets.

scholarly journals Gender Discrimination in the Hiring of Skilled Professionals in Two Male-Dominated Occupational Fields: A Factorial Survey Experiment with Real-World Vacancies and Recruiters in Four European Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (S1) ◽  
pp. 261-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane Bertogg ◽  
Christian Imdorf ◽  
Christer Hyggen ◽  
Dimitris Parsanoglou ◽  
Rumiana Stoilova
Keyword(s):  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Job Applicants ◽  
Statistical Discrimination ◽  
Factorial Survey ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
It Professionals ◽  
Opportunity Structures ◽  
Job Advertisements ◽  
Male Dominated

Abstract The present article investigates gender discrimination in recruitment for two male-dominated occupations (mechanics and IT professionals). We empirically test two different explanatory approaches to gender discrimination in hiring; namely, statistical discrimination and taste-based discrimination. Previous studies suggest that, besides job applicants’ characteristics, organisational features play a role in hiring decisions. Our article contributes to the literature on gender discrimination in the labour market by investigating its opportunity structures located at the recruiter, job and company level, and how gender discrimination varies across occupations and countries. The analysed data come from a factorial survey experiment conducted in four countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Norway and Switzerland). Real job advertisements were sampled, and the recruiters in charge of hiring for these positions (n = 1,920) rated up to ten hypothetical CVs (vignettes). We find gender discrimination in Bulgaria and Greece and to a lesser degree in Switzerland, but not in Norway. The degree of gender discrimination appears to be greater in mechanics than in IT. Multivariate analyses that test a number of opportunity structures for discrimination suggest that mechanisms of statistical discrimination rather than those of taste-based discrimination might be at work.

Causes of Gender Discrimination in Korean Labor Markets

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Key Woo ◽  
Cho Kisuk ◽  
Lee Sun Ju
Keyword(s):  
Labor Markets ◽  
Gender Discrimination

scholarly journals The role of ethnicity in the perception of pork barrel politics: Evidence from a survey experiment in Slovakia

Politics ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 026339572092008
Author(s):  
Miroslav Nemčok ◽  
Olivera Komar ◽  
Nemanja Batrićević ◽  
Michal Tóth ◽  
Peter Spáč
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Decision Maker ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
New Democracies ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Divided Societies ◽  
Pork Barrel

In divided societies and new democracies, clientelism (in the form of pork barrel) and ethno-politics appear to go hand in hand. It is apparent that politicians are incentivized to compete for support within their own ethnic groups, but does an ethnic link between voters and decision-makers influence how voters perceive and evaluate pork barrel practices? To address this question, we conducted a survey experiment (n = 1200) in ethnically heterogeneous Slovakia. The aim was to examine whether pork barrel politics implemented by a Slovak decision-maker and a Hungarian decision-maker are evaluated differently by Slovaks and Hungarians. The findings suggest that when individuals and decision-makers share the same ethnicity, individuals tend to maintain an equally positive level of trust and willingness to vote for the responsible decision-maker, even when the decision-maker implements a policy decision that does not benefit them. Nonetheless, shared ethnicity does not prevent individuals from being critical of the implemented policy decision itself.

scholarly journals Strategies and Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Attraction

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 81-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoulaye Oury Bah ◽  
Xie Kefan ◽  
Oji-Okoro Izuchukwu
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Labor Markets ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Cheap Labor ◽  
The World

The globalization of the world economy has created enormous opportunities as well as promotion efforts to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The goal of this study is to detect and analyze management strategy to attract foreign direct investment. We conduct a detailed literature review and identify different strategies for capital issues and benefits of FDI. There are several trends that drive FDI like availability of natural resources, cheap labor markets and low cost which must be considered in order to take appropriate measures to attract more investments. The main contribution of the study is that it builds a theoretical basis which is useful for managers, entrepreneurs and decision-makers to make rational decisions on the choice of location for investments.

scholarly journals Extemporaneous environmental legislation: an analysis of the conflicts underlying Law 3824/1960 on coarse wood removal in Brazilian artificial reservoirs

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lívia Helena Tonella ◽  
Oscar Barroso Vitorino Junior ◽  
Dilermando Pereira Lima Junior ◽  
Luiz Carlos Gomes ◽  
Fernando Mayer Pelicice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Makers ◽  
Environmental Legislation ◽  
Specific Objective ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Artificial Reservoirs ◽  
Current Reality

Abstract This article discusses the purpose and effects of Law 3824/1960, which makes mandatory the removal of vegetation and consequent cleaning of land sites subject to flooding by the construction of artificial reservoirs. The importance of this reflection is to avoid having a law that is considered effective, though if questioned, may prove contrary to the objectives for which it was created. Thus, this article aims to awaken decision makers to the possibility that this law is considered inapplicable to the current reality, according to the social, scientific, legal and environmental advances achieved in recent years. As a specific objective, based on the findings obtained, we aim to stimulate authorities to act in favor of the elaboration of a law that will meet these advances.

scholarly journals You are not worth the risk: The ethics of statistical discrimination in organisational selection of applicants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Vanessa Scholes
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Agents ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Good Reason ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Statistical Discrimination ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Job Application ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Selection Of

<p>Your job application is rejected unseen because you ticked a box admitting you smoke. The employer screened out applicants who ticked the 'smoker' box, because she had read empirical studies that suggest smokers, as a group, are a higher productivity risk than non-smokers. What distinctive ethical concerns inhere in the organisational practice of discriminating against applicants on the basis of group risk statistics? I argue that risk-focussed statistical discrimination is morally undesirable due to the lack of respect for applicants as unique autonomous agents. However, I argue further that the decision-making context affects the morality of this discrimination. Other things being equal, the morality of statistical discrimination varies depending on the purpose of the organisation, the level of detail in the discrimination, and whether the discrimination is transparent to applicants and includes some benefit for applicants. Because organisations may have good reason to use risk-focussed statistical discrimination when assessing applicants, I present some recommendations for decision-makers to mitigate the lack of respect for applicants as individual agents. Organisational decision-makers can focus on the extent to which the statistical data they use comprise i) factors that feature efforts and achievements of the applicant; ii) dynamic rather than static factors; and iii) data drawn from the applicant’s own history and actions over time.</p>

scholarly journals Empowering young immigrant girls in Canada through the ‘Girls’ Voices’ Curriculum: A qualitative study

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 799
Author(s):  
Salima Meherali ◽  
Mehnaz Rehmani ◽  
Arzoo Rafiq ◽  
Neelam Punjani ◽  
Helen Vallianatos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Immigrant Adolescents ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Immigrant Adolescent ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Global Issue ◽  
Promote Gender Equality

Background: Gender inequality is a global issue. In Canada, 70% of women experience some form of inequality in their lifetime. Immigrant adolescents in Canada make up a substantial proportion of newcomers, and immigrant girls face the threat of subjugation and oppression, which has a significant impact on their health, development, and economic outcomes as well as gender inequality. Research on girls’ empowerment and resilience-building programs and interventions is virtually nonexistent. In this project, we implemented the ‘Girls’ Voices’ Curriculum. The aim of this project was to engage and empower South Asian (SA) immigrant adolescent girls and to promote gender equality in Canada. Methods: This study utilized a qualitative descriptive design. Pre- and post-curriculum implementation focus group discussions were conducted. Results: A total of 16 adolescent girls ranging from 11 to 18 years of age participated in this study. The participants described challenges many young girls face in relation to gender inequality such as gender discrimination, gendered stereotyping, barriers to education, etc. The ‘Girls’ Voices’ Curriculum allowed participants to highlight and reflect on the various problems faced by SA immigrant adolescents in their communities. The participants learned to examine these challenges through a variety of engaging activities to identify their root cause, effects and propose solutions to bring long-lasting change. The curriculum equipped them with useful tools such as decision-makers maps and advocacy skills to educate decision-makers by creating and delivering powerful messages influenced by personal stories and evidence-based literature.  Conclusion: The study provided significant insight into understanding the diverse challenges encountered by SA immigrant adolescent girls in Canada and linking them to the effectiveness of the ‘Girls’ Voices’ Curriculum. The girl-focused development programs that emphasize developing self-confidence, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and decision making are effective in empowering the socially deprived adolescent girls locally and in the global context.

Conformity under uncertainty: Reliance on gender stereotypes in online hiring decisions

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Luis Uhlmann ◽  
Raphael Silberzahn
Keyword(s):  
Labor Markets ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Confirmation Bias ◽  
Feedback Loops ◽  
Hiring Decisions ◽  
Homo Economicus ◽  
Social Stereotypes ◽  
Online Labor Markets ◽  
Online Labor

AbstractWe apply Bentley et al.’s theoretical framework to better understand gender discrimination in online labor markets. Although such settings are designed to encourage employer behavior in the northwest corner of Homo economicus, actual online hiring decisions tend to drift southeast into a “confirmation bias plus weak feedback loops” pattern of discrimination based on inaccurate social stereotypes.

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