UnconsciousBias

“Ifyouaskedmetonamethegreatestdiscoveriesofthepast50years,alongsidethingsliketheinternetandtheHiggsparticle,Iwouldincludethediscoveryofunconsciousbiases...”

-Prof.NancyHopkins MITProfessorofBiology BostonUniversityGraduation May18,2014

UnconsciousBias�  Expectationsorstereotypesinfluenceourjudgmentsofothers(regardlessofourowngroup).

�  Gender:�  Menjudgingwomen;womenjudgingwomen�  MenandwomenBOTHdownplaythecontributionsofwomen

�  Race/ethnicity�  Whitesjudgingminorities;minoritiesjudgingminorities�  WhitesandminoritiesBOTHdownplaythecontributionsofminorities

�  Unconsciousbiasis�  NOTdiscrimination�  NOTprejudice

Schema� Awell-dressedbusinessmandrawsaknifeonavagrant.� Theonlookersmay(andoftendo)"remember"thevagrantpullingtheknife.

� Resultsofthesestudiesarestartingtoquestionthereliabilityofeyewitnesses.

FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Schemas…

�  influencegroupmembers’expectationsabouthowtheywillbejudged.

�  allowefficient,ifsometimesinaccurate,processingofinformation.

�  oftenconflictwithconsciouslyheldor“explicit”attitudes.

�  changebasedonexperience/exposure.

Nosek,Banaji,&Greenwald(2002).GroupDynamics:Theory,ResearchandPractice,6,101-115.Fiske,Cuddy,Glick,&Xu(2002).JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,82(6),878-902.

Schemasareappliedmoreoftenundercircumstancesof:

� Lackofcriticalmass

� Timepressure� Stressfromcompetingtasks

� Ambiguity(includinglackofinformation)

Fiske(2002).CurrentDirectionsinPsychologicalScience,11,123-128.

WhenDoSchemasAffectEvaluationOutcomes?

�  Resumes�  Jobcredentials�  Fellowships�  Hiring�  Awards�  Promotion�  ProposalReviews

�  1970s:womenwererareintheupperechelonsoftheclassicalmusicprofession

�  1980:premiereorchestras–Boston,Cleveland,ChicagoPhiladelphia&NY–only10%women

� Despiteapoolofwell-qualifiedgraduatesfromplaceslikeJuilliard-~45%women.

Example:America’sSymphonyOrchestras

Schema:Virtuoso=Male�  “Themorewomen,thepoorerthesound.”

�  “Womenhavesmallertechniquesthanmen.”

�  “Womenaremoretemperamentalthanmenandmorelikelytodemandspecialattention.”

�  “Ijustdon’tthinkwomenshouldbeinanorchestra.”--ZubinMehta

BlindAudition

� Duringauditions:screeninsertedbetweenmusicianandjudge

� Results:%womeninAmerica’smajorsymphonyorchestrasincreasesto>40%!

Goldin&Rouse(2000)Amer.Econ.Rev.,90,715

Virtuoso=Male

Whatisthescienceequivalentoftheblindaudition?

•  UsedablindapplicationprocessfortworecentSeniorExecutiveService(SES)classes.

•  Namesofcandidateswereexcludedfromthepaperworkreviewedbyselectionpanels.

•  2009-15,percentageofwomenintheSESatUSDAincreasedby41%!

AgricultureDepartment

UnconsciousBias:Gender�  Teamsofmaleandfemale

universitypsychprofs(searchcommittees)

�  Evaluatecandidatesforanopenposition(assistprofofpsych)

�  ApplicationpackagesforKarenandBrianareidenticalexceptforname

�  Searchcommitteespreferred2:1tohireBrianoverKaren

�  Whenevaluatingamoreexperi-encedrecord(tenure),reservationsexpressed4timesmoreoftenforKarenthanforBrian

Brian

Karen

Steinpreis,Anders,&Ritzke(1999)SexRoles,41,509.

UnconsciousBias:Race�  Lakishahadtosend15resumestogetacallback,comparedto10neededbyEmily

�  Lakishaneeded8moreyearsofexperiencetogetasmanycallbacksasEmily

� Thehighertheresumequality,thelargerthegapbetweencallbacksforEmilyandLakisha

Emily

Lakisha

Bertrand&Mullainathan(2004)PovertyActionLab,3,1-27.

UnconsciousBias:Mothers

Whenevaluatingidenticalapplications:�  Evaluatorsratedmothersaslesscompetentandcommittedtopaidworkthannonmothers.

�  Prospectiveemployerscalledmothersbackabouthalfasoften.

� Motherswerelesslikelytoberecommendedforhire,promotion,andmanagement.

� Motherswereofferedlowerstartingsalaries.

“Nonmother”

Mother

Correll,BenardandPaik(2007)AmericanJournalofSociology,112(5),1297-1338.

ActiveinPTA

UnconsciousBias:Fathers

Whenevaluatingidenticalapplications:� Fatherswerenotdisadvantagedinthehiringprocess.

� Fatherswereseenasmorecommittedtopaidwork.

�  Fatherswereofferedhigherstartingsalaries.

“Nonfather”

Father

Correll,BenardandPaik(2007)AmericanJournalofSociology,112(5),1297-1338.

ActiveinPTA

ImplicitAssociationTest

� Thinkunconsciousbias=consciousprejudice?� Thinkyoudon’thaveunconsciousbiases?� TrytakingtheHarvardImplicitAssociationTest:https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

LettersofRecommendationforSuccessfulMedicalSchoolFaculty

Lettersformen:•  Longer•  Morereferencesto:

•  CV•  Publications•  Patients•  Colleagues

Lettersforwomen:•  Shorter•  Morereferencestopersonallife•  More“doubtraisers”(hedges,

faintpraise&irrelevancies)“It’samazinghowmuchshe’s

accomplished.”“Itappearsherhealthisstable.”“Sheisclosetomywife.”

Trix&Psenka(2003)Discourse&Society,Vol14(2):191-220;Martin,Hebl&Madera(2009)JourofAppliedPsych,Vol.94,No.6,1591–1599.

“Heisanestablishedleader”vs.“Shemightmakeanexcellentleader”

Trywritingagender-neutralletter:He/sheisasweetyoungthing.

WhatCanWeDoaboutUnconsciousBias?

� Awareness� Policies� Practices� Accountability

BIAS

Howdowestartajobsearch?

1.  Formasearchcommittee2.  Writeanadtargetingaspecificsub-discipline3.  Advertizetheposition4.  Waitfortheapplicationstopourin

0.RecruitmentoftheApplicantPool

Ifyoufollowthisstandardpractice,oddsarethattheracialandgenderdiversityofyourapplicantpoolwilllookalotlikeyourcurrentdept.Ifyouwantthepooltobemorediverse,youhavetoworkabitharder.

QuotasorAffirmativeAction

RecruitmentoftheApplicantPool

� Recruitproactivelyyear-round

� Recruitspecificallyforunderrepresentedgroups

� Useof“opensearches”(broadvs.narrowjobdefinitions)

�  Ifpossible,advertizeformultiplepositionsatonce(clusterhiring).

Howdowecontinueajobsearch?

1.  Searchcommitteepicks‘best’candidates2.  Applicationssitinaserver3.  Facultyinvitedtobrowsethroughthefiles4.  ‘Best’candidatesareinvitedtocampus

Thisistheeasiest,leastpainfulwaytogothroughthisprocess.Effortsmaybemadetoavoidconsciousbiasandprejudice,butopportunitiesaboundforunconsciousbiasdominatetheselection.

CandidateEvaluationTool

http://www.umich.edu/%7Eadvproj/CandidateEvaluationTool.doc

1.AreYOUqualifiedtoevaluatethecandidate?

CandidateEvaluationTool

http://www.umich.edu/%7Eadvproj/CandidateEvaluationTool.doc

2.Criteriaforevaluatingeachcandidate:

Howshouldweevaluatecandidates?

1.  Setcriteriabeforelookingatapplications2.  Evaluateallapplicationsbasedonthesamecriteria3.  Allcandidatesthatmeetthecriteriabecomepartof

the“longshortlist”4.  Alllongshortlistcandidatesgetphoneinterviews

WaystoMitigateBias�  Increaseawarenessofhowimplicitbiasesmightaffectevaluation

� Decreasetimepressureanddistractionsinevaluationprocess

� Rateonexplicitcriteriaratherthanglobaljudgments

� Pointtospecificevidencesupportingjudgments

BauerandBaltes,2002,SexRoles9/10,465.

DiversityChecklist�  DoIencouragewomentofollowtheirinterestsintermsofeducation

andcareerpath?

�  DoImentorjuniorwomen&seekadvicefromseniorwomen?

�  DoIdouble-checkandensureIamfairlyassessingallapplicantsfornewpositions,promotions,etc.?

�  DoIincludewomeninlunches,gatherings,andtechnicaldiscussions?

�  DoIlistentowomen’sopinionsinmeetingsanddoIshowsupportfor(some/manyof)theirideas?

�  DoIhelpensurethatourworkspaceandrulesaccommodatewomen’sneeds?

�  DoInominatewomenforawards/recognitions?

�  DoIsuggestwomenasinvitedspeakers,co-organizers,etc.?

�  DoIcongratulatewomenontheirsuccesses?

Excellencehasnogenderorraceorsexualorientation

SpecialthankstoAbigailStewart(Univ.ofMich.)forslides,references&information