Can Ethic Minorities “Nudge” Their Way into Corporate America?: How Cognitive Biases and Heuristics Impact Hiring Decisions.

Abstract

Discriminatory treatment within the current labor market is a significant cause of inequality. Notably, women and people of color are often kept away from opportunities, are limited in career promotions, and are deprived of the ability to participate in certain corporate circles simply because of their skin color or belonging to a particular gender group. The study intended to understand whether an intervention through nudging would reduce the discriminative approach and bias associated with the recruiting process. A sample of N = 135 participants, 67 men and 68 women, ages 20-51 representing various racial groups, was selected and asked to participate in a survey to choose the best fit candidate for a job. Participants were divided into two groups and provided two resumes of equally qualified candidates with their professional photos attached. One of the candidates represented an ethnic minority group, and the other did not. Before showing both groups the resumes and candidate photos, the experimental group was nudged to sign a non-discrimination statement electronically. The control group did not sign a statement and directly proceeded to the assessment. Both groups made a choice between the two resumes based on the job description. A two-sample proportions test is run to measure correlation between exposure to nudge and preference for a diverse candidate choice was predicted. However, the study results did not show a significant correlation between applying a condition (exposure to nudge) and the number of participants choosing a minority candidate resume. The results also did not vary within different gender and racial groups.