This Problem Has a Name: Discrimination
It’s been a dozen years since Harvard’s Sendhil Mullainathan and I sent out nearly 5,000 fictitious resumes in response to help-wanted ads in Boston and Chicago.
This Problem Has a Name: Discrimination
What happens when resumes for two qualified candidates land on a hiring manager’s desk, but one has a white-sounding name at the top and the other person is perceived to be Black? The supposedly white candidates get significantly more interest, according to research by Chicago Booth’s Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan.
This may reflect overt racism. But even hiring managers who are personally committed to diversity can display implicit bias. Chicago Booth’s Jane L. Risen has demonstrated that people who would otherwise admit that racism is a societal problem might deny it when an implicit bias is triggered through brief exposure to certain information.
How do we root out implicit bias? Chicago Booth’s Devin G. Pope suggests shining a light on it could help. After NBA referees were shown their racial bias in foul calls, biased calls declined, suggesting that bias isn’t a fixed trait. But as Bertrand has noted, more research is needed on how to address discrimination effectively.
Discover these stories and much more at Chicago Booth Review.
It’s been a dozen years since Harvard’s Sendhil Mullainathan and I sent out nearly 5,000 fictitious resumes in response to help-wanted ads in Boston and Chicago.
This Problem Has a Name: DiscriminationWhile overt racism may be on the wane in the US, research suggests it remains just below the surface.
Think You’re Not Racist?Combining practitioner insights with evidence from research can help identify effective and accessible solutions.
What Research Reveals About Gender and Racial DiscriminationThrough their data-driven insights, our researchers are tackling some of the world's biggest global issues. Explore more research from Booth.
Booth researchers are investigating how cultural norms and expectations affect women’s progress.
Why Is the Glass Ceiling So Tough to Crack?Booth researchers are exploring what should drive corporate decisions in the twenty-first century.
Should Companies Focus on Profits?Booth researchers are exploring how less text-based messaging and more talking could improve communication.
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Building Connections in AsiaIn his Nobel lecture in Stockholm, the Chicago Booth economist explored the research that earned him the field’s top prize.
Douglas W. Diamond Recounts His Groundbreaking CareerBooth’s community has come together to strengthen diversity and inclusion in the school’s pedagogy, scholarship, and culture around the world.
Building a More Inclusive BoothIn the upcoming Meeting of the Minds event, two professors explore the economies of the East and West.
Meet the Minds: Economics East and West Experts Dali L. Yang and Austan Goolsbee